King of the Castle Part 90

The door opened, and Glyddyr entered, looking sallow and nervous; but he began to brighten a little, as if the presence of Mary were a reprieve from the task he had set himself to do.

It was only a short one, though, for, after the first greetings, Mary rose to go.

Claude looked at her wistfully.

"Don't let me drive you away, Miss Dillon," said Glyddyr quickly.

Claude uttered no word to stay her, but sat gazing straight before her at a large photograph of her father, her eyes wild and fixed with the emotion from which she suffered, and for a few moments after the door was closed neither spoke.

"Miss Gartram--Claude," said Glyddyr, at last, in a husky voice, and at his words she started, as if from a dream.

Her look seemed to freeze him, but he had taken the step now, and he rose and crossed to her side, taking the hand she surrendered to him unresistingly.

"Claude, you know how all these weary months I have been silent," he whispered; "how I have feared to intrude upon you in your grief, though all the while I have suffered painfully too."

"Yes," she said gently, "you have been very patient with me, I know."

"Because I dared to hope that the time might come when I could speak to you as I do now. You know how I love you, and--forgive me for saying what I do--you know how my happiness is in your hands. Tell me to be patient even now, and I will wait."

Her wild fixed look intensified as she listened to his impa.s.sioned prayer, for she saw only the face of her father as she had seen him last in life.

"I hardly dare to say the words," he went on; "it seems like putting pressure on one whom I want to love me of herself, to make me happy by her own gentle confession; but I must speak now, even if it gives you pain. Claude, dearest, it was his wish. Tell me you will be my wife."

He uttered his last sentence or two in a hesitating whisper.

"You heard what I said, dearest?" he whispered.

"Yes--yes," said Claude dreamily.

"You will not hold me off longer. Claude, dearest, what can I say to move you? Is it to be always thus?"

She looked at him wildly for a few moments, and he was about to speak again, but her lips moved, and she said slowly--

"You say it would make you happy?"

"Happy?" he exclaimed pa.s.sionately, "oh, if I had but words to tell you all."

"Hus.h.!.+" she said, slowly withdrawing her hand. "Six months ago I thought I saw my course marked out for me; but now all appears changed.

You know how, long before we ever met--"

"Yes," he cried eagerly, "I know everything you would say, but, Claude, dearest, it is impossible. If that was to make you happy, I would have gone away, and patiently borne all, but it is impossible."

"Yes," she said, shuddering slightly, "it is impossible."

"Then you will let me hope?" he cried quickly.

"It was my dear father's wish," she said dreamily; "I have thought of this, and what was my duty, left as I am, his child and the steward of his great wealth."

"Yes--yes!" he cried excitedly.

"It was all darkness--black, black darkness for a time, but by slow degrees the light has come."

"Claude, my love!"

"Oh, hush: pray hus.h.!.+" she said with a slight s.h.i.+ver as she gazed straight past her wooer at the photograph upon the table. "It was his wish; and if you desire this, Parry Glyddyr, I will try to be your true and faithful wife."

"My own!" he whispered, and he tried to pa.s.s his arm around her, but she shrank back with so pained a look that he forbore. "There," he said, "I will be patient. I have waited all these long months, and I know now how your love for me will come. I can wait. But, Claude, let me go away quite happy. How soon?"

"It was his wish."

"In a month from now?" he whispered tenderly.

"Yes," she said, still gazing past him at the photograph.

"My own!" he cried, "I had not dared to hope for this. But, Claude, dearest, why do you look so strange?"

He felt as if a hand of ice had touched him, and his own closed upon hers with a spasmodic grip, as he looked sharply round and saw the photograph, the counterfeit presentment gazing sternly in his eyes.

But Claude was too intent upon her own thoughts to notice his ghastly pallor, and, uttering a low sigh, she at last withdrew her hand.

"Do not say more to me now, Mr Glyddyr," she sighed faintly. "I am weak. The shock of coming back here has been almost more than I can bear. You will go now. Do not think me unkind and cold, but you will leave me till to-morrow."

"Yes, yes," he cried huskily, as he forced himself to take her hand which felt like ice, and, bending over it, he pressed his lips upon the clear transparent skin. "Yes, till to-morrow," he said; and, carefully keeping his eyes averted from the photograph, he walked quickly from the room.

"Claude! Claude!" cried Mary entering, but there was no reply.

"Claude!" and she laid her hand upon the girl's shoulder, to start back in alarm at the waxen face that was slowly turned towards her. "Claude, darling, don't look like that. Tell me. He did ask you?"

Claude nodded.

"And you refused him?"

She shook her head sadly.

"Oh, Claude!" cried Mary reproachfully. "And poor Chris!"

"Silence!" said Claude excitedly. "Never mention his name again."

"But you can't--you don't think that horrible charge was true?"

"I think it was, my dear--my dead father's wish that I should wed Mr Glyddyr. I have prayed for strength to carry out his will."

"And you have accepted him!"

"Mary, a woman cannot live for herself. It was my duty. In a month I shall be Parry Glyddyr's wife."

Volume Three, Chapter XIII.

A STRANGE WOOING.