She turned away impetuously, but Edward's arm detained her, and Edward's
voice demanded, tenderly, "Where will you go, my Jean?"
The tender touch and name seemed to rob her of her courage and calmness,
for, leaning on her lover, she hid her face and sobbed audibly.
"Now don't make a scene, for heaven's sake," began Coventry impatiently,
as his brother eyed him fiercely, divining at once what had passed, for
his letter was still in Gerald's hand and Jean's last words had reached
her lover's ear.
"Who gave you the right to read that, and to interfere in my affairs?"
demanded Edward hotly.
"Miss Muir" was the reply, as Coventry threw away the paper.
"And you add to the insult by ordering her out of the house," cried Ned
with increasing wrath.
"On the contrary, I beg her to remain."
"The deuce you do! And why?"
"Because she is useful and happy here, and I am unwilling that your
folly should rob her of a home which she likes."
"You are very thoughtful and devoted all at once, but I beg you will not
trouble yourself. Jean's happiness and home will be my care now."
"My dear boy, do be reasonable. The thing is impossible. Miss Muir sees
it herself; she came to tell me, to ask how best to arrange matters
without troubling my mother. I've been to town to attend to your
affairs, and you may be off now very soon."
"I have no desire to go. Last month it was the wish of my heart. Now
I'll accept nothing from you." And Edward turned moodily away from
his brother.
"What folly! Ned, you must leave home. It is all arranged and cannot
be given up now. A change is what you need, and it will make a man of
you. We shall miss you, of course, but you will be where you'll see
something of life, and that is better for you than getting into
mischief here."
"Are you going away, Jean?" asked Edward, ignoring his brother entirely
and bending over the girl, who still hid her face and wept. She did not
speak, and Gerald answered for her.
"No, why should she if you are gone?"
"Do you mean to stay?" asked the lover eagerly of Jean.
"I wish to remain, but--" She paused and looked up. Her eyes went from
one face to the other, and she added, decidedly, "Yes, I must go, it is
not wise to stay even when you are gone."
Neither of the young men could have explained why that hurried glance
affected them as it did, but each felt conscious of a willful desire to
oppose the other. Edward suddenly felt that his brother loved Miss Muir,
and was bent on removing her from his way. Gerald had a vague idea that
Miss Muir feared to remain on his account, and he longed to show her
that he was quite safe. Each felt angry, and each showed it in a
different way, one being violent, the other satirical.