You do not seem to understand?"
She looked at him earnestly.
"Do you love her so very much, Norman?"
"I love her better than any words of mine can tell," he said. "The
moment I saw her first I told you my dream was realized--I had found my
ideal. I have loved her ever since."
"How strange!" murmured the duchess.
"Do you think it strange? Remember how fair and winsome she is--how
sweet and gentle. I do not believe there is any one like her."
The white hand that, held the jeweled fan moved more vigorously.
"Why do you tell me this, Norman? What do you wish me to do?"
"You have always been so kind to me," he said, "you have ever been as a
sister, my best, dearest, truest friend. I could not have a feeling of
this kind without telling you of it. Do you remember how you used to
tease me about my ideal. Neither of us thought in those days that I
should find her under your roof."
"No," said the duchess, quietly, "it is very strange."
"I despaired of winning Madaline," he continued. "She had such strange
ideas of the wonderful distance between us--she thought so much more of
me than of herself, of the honor of my family and my name--that, to tell
you the truth, Philippa, I thought I should never win her consent to be
my wife.
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