He rose and went towards the horses. His own raised its head and seemed
inclined to start, but stood uncertain and eventually remained quiet
beside the chestnut. Stafford brought them to where Ida still stood,
her eyes downcast, her face pale.
With his own bridle over his arm he put her into the saddle, resisting
even in that supreme moment the almost irresistible desire to take her
in his arms.
She murmured a "Thank you," as she slowly put on her left gauntlet. He
drew the other from her, and as she looked at him questioningly, he put
it to his lips and thrust it under his waistcoat, over his heart.
The colour flooded her face, but the blush was followed by the old look
of trouble and doubt. She held out her ungloved right hand and he took
it and held it for a moment, then raised it to his lips; but he did not
kiss it.
"No!" he said, with stern repression. "I will take nothing--until you
give it me."
She inclined her head the very slightest, as if she understood, as if
she were grateful; then letting her eyes rest on his with an
inscrutable look, she spoke softly to the horse and rode away, with
Donald and Bess clamouring joyously after her, as if they had found the
proceedings extremely trying.
Stafford flung his arm across his horse, and leaning against it, looked
after her, his eyes fixed wistfully on the slight, graceful figure,
until it was out of sight; then he gazed round him as if he were
suddenly returning from a new, mysterious region to the old familiar
world. Passion's marvellous spell still held him, he was still
throbbing with a half-painful ecstasy of her nearness, of the touch of
her hand, the magic of her voice.
For the first time he was in love. In love with the most exquisite, the
most wonderful of God's divine creatures. He knew, as he had said, that
her answer meant life or death to him, the life of infinite, nameless
joy, the death of life in death.
Was he going to lose her?
The very question set him trembling. He held out his quivering hand and
looked at it, and set his teeth. Heaven and earth, how strange it was!
This girl had taken possession of him body and soul; every fibre of his
being clamoured for her. To be near her, just to be able to see her,
hear her, meant happiness; to be torn from her-The sweat broke out on his forehead and he laughed grimly.
"And this is love!" he said, between his teeth. "Yes--and it's the
only love of my life. God help me if you say 'no,' dearest! But you
must not--you must not!"