They compelled attention; a
man could no more release himself from their glance than he could fly. I
was not at all in love with her, yet those eyes held me spell-bound.
"I want you to tell me," she said, "if there was any other will.
Did--did Miles leave one?"
As she put the question to me I saw that her lips were parched and
burning, her white fingers so tightly clenched that they left great red
marks.
"No," I replied; "there was only one will, and that was Sir Barnard's."
A great calm fell over her. After some minutes she looked at me again.
"Was there any mention in that will of me?"
I told her none. Once more she raised those resistless eyes to mine.
"Then I am, indeed, alone in the world--alone and forsaken."
"Nay, nay!" I cried, eagerly; "do not say so. Clare will take care of
you."
"And you?" she asked, in a voice that must have melted an anchorite.
"I will help her--or, rather, I will take care of you both."
"What is your sister like?" she asked, eagerly. "Is she very
clever--very beautiful? Shall I be frightened at her?"
"She is the sweetest and most gentle of girls--doubly gentle from her
great affliction.
Pages:
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40