Only One Love, or Who Was the Heir Part 51

"No, I'll take your place in this boat; I can see you are longing for mine. Here, get in"; and before Dalrymple could refuse, Jack had almost lifted him into the outrigger, and leaped into his place in Lady Bell's boat.

All the darkness vanished from his brow. He was sitting opposite Una; so near, that when he leaned forward to make the stroke, his hand almost touched her dress.

"Are you coming with us?" said Lady Bell; "I am so glad."

"So am I," said Jack; but his eyes went to Una's face.

"Now, then," said Jack, as he bent forward.

"Steady, old man," said Sir Arkroyd; "we haven't all got blacksmith's muscles!"

But Jack was wild, delirious with joy, and he pulled, heart and soul, his great, strong arms bare to the elbows.

"What a lovely night!" said Lady Bell. "Won't anybody sing?"

Of course no one replied.

"Sing something, my dear child," she said to Una. "You have a singing face. You have no idea how beautiful it sounds on the water."

"Oh, no, no," said Una, shrinking modestly.

Jack looked up.

"Sing," he murmured, pleadingly. As if he had uttered a command, she looked at him with meek obedience, and began the song he had heard her singing in the forest.

Is there anything more exquisite on earth than the voice of a young girl? Una knew nothing of the science of song; she had had no master, no instruction of any sort; but her voice was clear and musical as a young thrush's and she sang straight from her heart.

No need to tell Jack to pull slower! He ceased rowing, and rested on his oar, his eyes fixed on her face, his lips half apart.

The other boats stopped also as the music of the sweet, young voice floated down the stream, and one and all felt the spell.

Lady Bell sat with lowered lids and pale face, and when the last note died away and she looked up, her eyes were moist.

"My dear," she said, in a low voice, "where did you learn to sing like that?"

Una, half frightened at the effect she had produced, flushed and sank back into her seat.

"I have never learned," she said, quietly.

There was a murmur, and Lady Clarence turned and looked at her curiously.

"You have a beautiful voice," she said, "and exquisite taste, or you could not sing as you do. It is a pity you have not been thoroughly trained. You should have a master."

"She shall!" said Lady Bell, impulsively. "She shall have the best. It would be criminal to let such a gift be wasted!"

Jack looked up with a flush of pleased grat.i.tude, and Lady Bell happened to catch that glance.

With a slight start she turned pale, and looked from his face all aglow with the fervor of loving admiration to Una's downcast one, and then, with something like a shudder, she, too, sank back into the seat.

"Isn't--isn't it cold?" she said, in a strangely changed voice.

"Is it?" said Jack, musing. "We'll row on," and he bent to the oar again.

A peculiar silence fell upon them all; it seemed as if they were still listening to the sweet voice. Lady Bell closed her eyes and remained motionless, and Jack pulled as if he had undertaken to reach Richmond within a given time.

At Richmond tea was brought to them on the terrace while the horses were put to, and very soon they were das.h.i.+ng toward London.

Dalrymple declared that his arms were too stiff to allow him to handle the four grays properly, and Jack was unanimously voted to the box.

He looked rather inclined to refuse, but seeing that Una had been seated close behind him, he climbed up and took the reins without a word.

For the first mile or two he had quite enough to do to keep the nags in hand; but he could feel that Una was close behind him, could feel her breath on his cheek, and hear every word of the clear, low-pitched voice, and he was deliriously happy.

Presently, when he had got the horses into steady working, he turned his head and pointing with his whip, as if he were directing her attention to some object in the landscape, said in a low voice:

"Una, can you hear me?"

"Yes," she said, leaning forward.

"I have been thinking it all over," he said, "but I can't make head or tail of it. It's all a mystery. However, I know where you are now, and that's something; and I can come and see you, and that's everything--to me. Are you angry with me for speaking so--so boldly?"

"No," she faltered.

"And I may come and see you? I know Mrs. Davenant; she is a good creature, though she thinks me everything that's bad--and she's not far wrong, I'm afraid----"

Una sighed faintly.

"And perhaps she'll tell me what it means, and why Stephen has sent you to be with her. Why, Una, did your father allow you to come? He loathed me for being a distant relative of the Davenants."

"I do not know," said Una, troubled.

"Never mind," said Jack, hastening to soothe her; "it's sure to be all right, if he did it. I liked your father, notwithstanding he was so rough with me. I liked him because he took such care of you. Steady, silly!" This was to the near leader, and not to Una. "What a lovely night! Are you enjoying it?--are you happy?"

A sigh, faint and tremulous, was full answer.

"Please Heaven, we'll have many a night like this. Happy! I could go half mad with delight at having you so near me. Una--I may call you Una?"

"Yes," she murmured.

"Can you guess--you sweet, innocent flower--what makes me so happy?"

"Tell me!" she answered, in a low voice, and leaning forward until her soft, silken hair almost touched his.

Jack's heart beat fast, and his blood bounded in his veins.

"It is because I love you. I love you! Do you understand? Ah, my darling! you don't know what love is. But I ought not to call you so--not yet. I can't see your face; perhaps I shouldn't dare to be so bold if I could. Speak to me, Una; speak to me. Tell me that you are not angry. Tell me that, while I have never had your sweet face out of my mind since that day we parted in Warden, you have thought once or twice of me. I don't deserve it. I'm a bad lot; but I love you, Una. Do you love me?"

There was no reply; but there was a soft nestle beside him, and then he felt her hand timidly touch his arm.