When he went to Isabel's room more than an hour later, his eyes were heavy with weariness, and he moved like a man who bears a burden.
She was alone, and looked up at his entrance with a smile of welcome. "Come and sit down, Stumpy! I've seen nothing of you. Dinah has only just left me. She tells me Eustace is talking of a picnic for to-morrow, but really she ought to give her mind to her trousseau if she is ever to be ready in time. Do you think Eustace can be induced to see reason?"
"I don't know," Scott said. He seated himself by Isabel's side and leaned back against the cushions, closing his eyes.
"You are tired," she said gently.
"Oh, only a little, Isabel!" He spoke without moving, making no effort to veil his weariness from her.
"What is it, dear?" she said.
"I am very anxious about Dinah." He spoke the words deliberately; his face remained absolutely still and expressionless.
"Anxious, Stumpy!" Isabel echoed the word quickly, almost as though it gave her relief to speak. "Oh, so am I--terribly anxious. She is so young, so utterly unprepared for marriage. I believe she is frightened to death when she lets herself stop to think."
"I blame myself," Scott said heavily.
"My dear, why?" Isabel's hand sought and held his. "How could you be to blame?"
"I forced it on," he said. "I--in a way--compelled Eustace to propose. He wasn't serious till then. I made him serious."
"Oh, Stumpy, you!" Incredulity and reproach mingled in Isabel's tone.
She would have withdrawn her hand, but his fingers closed upon it. "I made a mistake," he said, with dreary conviction, "a great mistake, though God knows I meant well; and now it is out of my power to set it right. I thought her heart was involved. I know now it was not. It's hard on him too in a way, because he is very much in earnest now, whatever he was before. I was a fool--I was a fool--not to let things take their course. She would have suffered, but it would have been soon over. Whereas now--" He stopped himself abruptly. "It's no good talking. There's nothing to be done. He may--after marriage--break her in to loving him, but if he does--if he does--" his hand clenched with sudden force upon Isabel's--"it won't be Dinah any more," he said. "It'll be--another woman; one who is satisfied with--a very little."