The Place of Honeymoons - Page 122/123

What was it? He felt irresistibly drawn. Without intending to do so, he

turned and stared at the woman in brown. Her hand went to the veil and

swept it aside. Nora was as full of romance as a child. She could have

stopped him before he made the boat, but she wanted to be alone with him.

"Nora!"

She flung herself on her knees in front of him. "I am a wretch!" she

said.

He could only repeat her name.

"I am not worth my salt. Ah, why did you run away? Why did you not pursue

me, importune me until I wearied? ... perhaps gladly? There were times

when I would have opened my arms had you been the worst scoundrel in the

world instead of the dearest lover, the patientest! Ah, can you forgive

me?"

"Forgive you, Nora?" He was numb.

"I am a miserable wretch! I doubted you, I! When all I had to do was to

recall the way people misrepresented things I had done! I sent back your

letters ... and read and reread the old blue ones. Don't you remember how

you used to write them on blue paper? ... Flora told me everything. It was

only because she hated me, not that she cared anything about you. She told

me that night at the ball. I believe the duke forced her to do it. She was

at the bottom of the abduction. When you kissed me ... didn't you know

that I kissed you back? Edward, I am a miserable wretch, but I shall

follow you wherever you go, and I haven't even a vanity-box in my

hand-bag!" There were tears in her eyes. "Say that I am a wretch!"

He drew her up beside him. His arms closed around her so hungrily, so

strongly, that she gasped a little. He looked into her eyes; his glance

traveled here and there over her face, searching for the familiar dimple

at one corner of her mouth.

"Nora!" he whispered.

"Kiss me!"

And then the train came to a stand, jerkily. They fell back against the

cushions.

"Lecco!" cried the guard through the window.

They laughed like children.

"I bribed him," she said gaily. "And now...."

"Yes, and now?" eagerly, if still bewilderedly.

"Let's go back!"