''I swear!'' I said. ''I swear!''—all the time thinking, Come on, say it Now!—for it was dreadful, seeing her so afraid to give up her secret, when I knew what the secret was.
Then she did say it. ''Mr Rivers,'' she said, more quietly than ever, ''says we might go away, at night.''
''At night!'' I said.
''He says we might be privately married. He says my uncle might try to claim me then; but he does not think he will. Not once I am a—a wife.''
Her face, as she said the word, grew pale, I saw the blood fall out of her cheek. She looked at the stone on her mother''s grave. I said,⑥⑥
''You must follow your heart, miss.''
''I am not sure. After all, I am not sure.''
''But to love, and then to lose him!'' Her gaze grew strange. I said, ''You love him, don''t you?''
She turned a little, and still looked queer, and would not answer. Then she said,
''I don''t know.''
''Don''t know? How can you not know a thing like that? Doesn''t your blood beat hard when you see him coming? Doesn''t his voice thrill in your ears, and his touch set you shaking? Don''t you dream of him, at night?''
She bit her plump lip. And those things mean I love him?''
''Of course! What else could they mean?''
She did not answer. Instead, she closed her eyes and gave a shiver. She put her hands together, and