Small eerie noises crept about. A sudden frightened longing
for warmth, and light, and colour came to Barbara. She fled back to her
room. But she could not sleep. That terrible mute unseen vibration in
the unlighted room-like the noiseless licking of a flame at bland air;
the touch of Miltoun's hand, hot as fire against her cheek and neck; the
whole tremulous dark episode, possessed her through and through. Thus
had the wayward force of Love chosen to manifest itself to her in all
its wistful violence. At this fiat sight of the red flower of passion
her cheeks burned; up and down her, between the cool sheets, little
hot cruel shivers ran; she lay, wide-eyed, staring at the ceiling. She
thought, of the woman whom he so loved, and wondered if she too were
lying sleepless, flung down on a bare floor, trying to cool her forehead
and lips against a cold wall.
Not for hours did she fall asleep, and then dreamed of running
desperately through fields full of tall spiky asphodel-like flowers, and
behind her was running herself.
In the morning she dreaded to go down. Could she meet Miltoun now that
she knew of the passion in him, and he knew that she knew it? She had
her breakfast brought upstairs. Before she had finished Miltoun himself
came in. He looked more than usually self-contained, not to say ironic,
and only remarked: "If you're going to ride you might take this note for
me over to old Haliday at Wippincott.
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