The news was received with every sort of emotion,--surprise, chagrin,
joy, excitement, speculation, and there were even those among them who
averred they had predicted this marriage all along.
"Fortunately we like her," Countess Olga said. "She is a good sort, and
perhaps she will keep Gritzko quiet, and he may be faithful to her."
But this idea was laughed to scorn, until Valonne joined in with his
understanding smile.
"I will make you a bet," he said; "in five years' time they will still
be love-birds. She will be the only one among this party who won't have
been divorced and have moved on to another husband."
"You horribly spiteful cat!" Princess Sonia laughed. "But I am sure we
all hope they will be happy."
Meanwhile Jack Courtray had come in at once to see Tamara.
"Well, upon my word! fancy you marrying a foreigner, old girl!" he
said; "but you have got just about the best chap I have ever met, and I
believe you'll be jolly happy."
And Tamara bent down so that he should not see the tears which gathered
in her eyes, while she answered softly, "Thank you very much, Jack; but
no one is ever sure of being happy."
And even though Lord Courtray's perceptions were rather thick he
wondered at her speech--it upset him.
"Look here, Tamara," he said, "don't you do it then if it is a chancy
sort of thing. Don't go and tie yourself up if you aren't sure you love
him."
Love him!--good God!-Pent-up feeling overcame Tamara. She answered in a voice her old
playmate had never dreamed she possessed--so concentrated and full of
passion. In their English lives they were so accustomed to controlling
every feeling into a level commonplace that if they had had time to
think, both would have considered this outburst melodramatic.
"Jack," Tamara said, "you don't know what love is. I tell you I know
now--I love Gritzko so that I would rather be unhappy with him than
happy with any one else on earth. And if they ask you at home, say I
would not care if he were a Greek, or a Turk, or an African nigger, I
would follow him to perdition.--There!"--and she suddenly burst into
tears and buried her face in her hands.
Yes, it was true. In spite of shame and disgrace, and fear, she loved
him--passionately loved him.
Of course Jack, who was the kindest-hearted creature, at once put his
arm around her and took out his handkerchief and wiped her eyes, while
he said soothingly: "I say, my child--there! there!--this will never do," and he continued
to pet and try to comfort her, but all she could reply was to ask him
to go, and to promise her not to say anything about her outburst of
tears to any one.