Beulah - Page 85/348

"It is always hard to find you, Pauline; you are such a demure,

silent little body," said he, shaking her hand kindly.

"Welcome, Guy! I expected you yesterday. What detained you so long?"

Mrs. Chilton approached with outstretched hand, and at the same time

offered her lips for a kiss.

He availed himself of neither, but, fixing his eyes intently on

hers, said as sweetly as if he had been soothing a fretful child: "Necessity, of course; but now that I have come, I shall make

amends, I promise you, for the delay. Percy, has she taken good care

of you?"

"She is an admirable nurse; I can never requite the debt she has

imposed. Is not my convalescence sufficient proof of her superior

skill?" Mr. Lockhart raised himself, and, leaning on his elbow,

suffered his eyes to rest admiringly on the graceful form and

faultless features beside him.

"Are you really so much better?" said Dr. Hartwell, gnawing his lip.

"Indeed I am! Why are you so incredulous? Have you so little

confidence in your own prescriptions?"

"Confidence! I had little enough when given, immeasurably less now.

But we will talk of all this after a little. I have some matters to

arrange, and will be with you at tea. May, I wish to see you."

"Well, Guy, what is it!" Without moving an inch, she looked up at

him.

"Come to my study," answered her brother quietly.

"And leave your patient to amuse himself? Really, Guy, you exercise

the rites of hospitality so rarely that you forget the ordinary

requirements. Apropos, your little protegee has not returned. It

seems she did not fancy living here, and prefers staying at the

asylum. I would not trouble myself about her, if I were you. Some

people cannot appreciate kindness, you know." She uttered this piece

of counsel with perfect sangfroid, and met her brother's eye as

innocently as Pauline would have done.

"I am thoroughly acquainted with her objections to this place, and

determined to remove them so completely that she cannot refused to

return."

A gray pallor crept over his sister's face; but she replied, with

her usual equanimity.

"You have seen her, then? I thought you had hurried back to your

sick friend here, without pausing by the way."

"No! I have not seen her, and, you are aware, her voluntary promise

would seal her lips, even if I had." He smiled contemptuously, as he

saw her puzzled look, and continued: "Percy will excuse you for a

few moments; come with me. Pauline, entertain this gentleman in our

absence."