"I love
you more for speaking as you have. I can hardly believe my
happiness. Can it be that you really love me, Bertha?"
"I think I have proved it, Frank. I do love you. I have known it
for some time, but it seemed all too late. It was a grief rather
than a pleasure. Every time you came it was a pain to me, for I
felt that I had lost you; and it was only when I learned, two days
ago, how you could forgive, and that at the same time I could free
myself from the chain I had allowed to be wound round me, and which
I don't think I could otherwise have broken, that I made up my mind
that it should not be my fault if things were not put right between
us.
"Now let us tell mother."
Her hand was still in his, and they went across the deck together.
"Mamma," she said, "please put down that book. I have a piece of
news for you. Frank and I are going to be married."
Lady Greendale sat for a moment, speechless in astonishment. She
knew that Bertha had wished to tell him that she had refused
Carthew's offer, but that this would come of it she had never
dreamt. A year before she had approved of Bertha's rejection of
Frank, but since then much had happened.
Pages:
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241