A little sleep and the fresh morning light set me up again. I
was to ride with Mr. Thorold in the evening; my mind fixed on
that nearest point, and refused for the moment to go further.
I heard from Mrs. Sandford at breakfast that Dr. Sandford was
no better; his low nervous prostration continued and
threatened to continue. Mrs. Sandford was much troubled about
me. All this suited my convenience; even her unnecessary
concern; for I had made up my mind to tell Mrs. Sandford I was
going to ride; but I would not till our late dinner, that
there might be no chance of her consulting the doctor. At
dinner I mentioned that a friend had asked me to ride and I
had half consented. Mrs. Sandford looked somewhat startled and
asked who the friend might be?
"Another officer," I said quietly; "his name is Thorold. I saw
him last summer, Mrs. Sandford; and I know about him. He is a
good one to go with."
"I can't ask Grant anything," she said, looking doubtful. "He
knows everybody."
"It is not needful," I answered. "I am going to take the
indulgence this once. I think it will do me good."
"Daisy, my dear!" said Mrs. Sandford - "You are as good as
possible - but you have a will of your own. All you
Southerners have, I think."
I replied that I was a Northerner; and the talk went to other
things. Mrs. Sandford left me with a kiss and the injunction
to take care of myself. I was very glad to get off so, for she
looked a little unsatisfied. My way was clear now. I dressed
with a bounding heart, mounted, and was away with Mr. Thorold;
feeling beneath all my gladness that now was my time and my
only time for doing all the difficult work I had set myself.
But gladness was uppermost, as I found myself in the saddle
and away, with Mr. Thorold by my side; - for once free and
alone together; - gladness that kept us both still I think;
for we exchanged few words till we were clear of the city and
out upon the open country. There we slackened bridle, and I
began to feel that the minutes were exceedingly precious. I
dreaded lest some words of Christian's should make it
impossible for me to do what I had to do.
"Christian," I began, "I have things to talk to you about."
"Well," said he brightly, "you shall. Will it take a great
while, Daisy? Because I have things to talk to you about."
"Not a great while, I hope," I said, almost stammering.
"You shall talk what you will, darling. But wait till we get a
better place."
I would have liked the place where we were, and the time.
Better where the road was rough than where it was smooth;
easier where there was something to make interruption than
where Christian could give too exclusive heed to me. But I
could not gainsay him; and we rode on, till we came to a piece
of pretty broken ground with green turf and trees. Here Mr.
Thorold stopped and proposed that we should dismount; he said
we should talk more at our ease so. I thought my predetermined
measures of dignity could be more easily maintained on
horseback; but I could not bear to refuse him, and he did not
mean to be refused, I saw. He had dismounted even while he
spoke, and throwing his horse's bridle over the branch of a
tree, came to lift me down; first throwing his cap on the
grass. Then keeping me in his arms and bending a brilliant
inquisitive look on my face, he asked me, "Daisy - is this my Daisy, as I left her?"