One of Our Conquerors - World eBook Library

One of Our Conquerors
‘And yesterday your father—a second time.’
Some remainder of suspicion in the dealing with members
of this family, urged Dudley to say: ‘I understood from them,
you were not? … that you were quite …?’
‘I have heard: I have guessed: it was recently—this morning,
as it happened. I wish to go to my mother to-day. I shall
go to her to-morrow.’
‘I might offer to conduct you-now!’
‘You are kind; I have Skepsey.’ She relieved the situation of
its cold-toned strain in adding: ‘He is a host.’
‘But I may come?—now! Have I not the right? You do not
deny it me?’
‘You are very generous.’
‘I claim the right, then. Always. And subsequently, soon
after, my mother hopes to welcome you at Cronidge. She
will be glad to hear of your naming of a day. My father bids
me … he and all our family.’
‘They are very generous.’
‘I may send them word this evening of a day you name?’
‘No, Mr. Sowerby.
‘Dudley?’
‘I cannot say it. I have to see my parents.’
‘Between us, surely?’
‘My whole heart thanks you for your goodness to me. I am
unable to say more.’
He had again observed and he slightly crisped under the
speculative look she directed on him: a simple unstrained
look, that had an air of reading right in, and was worse to
bear with than when the spark leaped upon some thought
from her eyes: though he had no imagination of anything he
concealed—or exposed, and he would have set it down to
her temporary incredulousness of his perfect generosity or
power to overcome the world’s opinion of certain circumstances.
That had been a struggle! The peculiar look was not
renewed. She spoke warmly of her gratitude. She stated, that
she must of necessity see her parents at once. She submitted
to his entreaty to conduct her to them on the morrow. It was
in the manner of one who yielded step by step, from inability
to contend.
Her attitude continuing unchanged, he became sensible
of a monotony in the speech with which he assailed it, and
he rose to leave, not dissatisfied. She, at his urgent request,
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