"Offered! yes, I suppose he has."
"And you accept him? Say 'yes,' Cynthia, and make me happy!"
"I shan't say 'yes' to make any one happy except myself, and the
Russian scheme has great charms for me." She said this to plague
her mother, and lessen Mrs. Gibson's exuberance of joy, it must be
confessed; for her mind was pretty well made up. But it did not
affect Mrs. Gibson, who affixed even less truth to it than there
really was. The idea of a residence in a new, strange country, among
new, strange people, was not without allurement to Cynthia.
"You always look nice, dear; but don't you think you had better put
on that pretty lilac silk?"
"I shall not vary a thread or a shred from what I have got on now."
"You dear, wilful creature! you know you always look lovely in
whatever you put on." So, kissing her daughter, Mrs. Gibson left the
room, intent on the lunch which should impress Mr. Henderson at once
with an idea of family refinement.
Cynthia went upstairs to Molly; she was inclined to tell her about
Mr. Henderson, but she found it impossible to introduce the subject
naturally, so she left it to time to reveal the future as gradually
as it might. Molly was tired with a bad night; and her father, in
his flying visit to his darling before going out, had advised her to
stay upstairs for the greater part of the morning, and to keep quiet
in her own room till after her early dinner, so Time had not a fair
chance of telling her what he had in store in his budget. Mrs. Gibson
sent an apology to Molly for not paying her her usual morning visit,
and told Cynthia to give Mr. Henderson's probable coming as a reason
for her occupation downstairs. But Cynthia did no such thing. She
kissed Molly, and sate silently by her, holding her hand; till at
length she jumped up, and said, "You shall be left alone now, little
one. I want you to be very well and very bright this afternoon: so
rest now." And Cynthia left her, and went to her own room, locked the
door, and began to think.
Some one was thinking about her at the same time, and it was not Mr.
Henderson. Roger had heard from Mr. Gibson that Cynthia had come
home, and he was resolving to go to her at once, and have one strong,
manly attempt to overcome the obstacles whatever they might be--and
of their nature he was not fully aware--that she had conjured up
against the continuance of their relation to each other. He left his
father--he left them all--and went off into the woods, to be alone
until the time came when he might mount his horse and ride over to
put his fate to the touch. He was as careful as ever not to interfere
with the morning hours that were tabooed to him of old; but waiting
was very hard work when he knew that she was so near, and the time so
near at hand.