Greatheart

by Ethel M. Dell

  CHAPTER XXIX

  THE CAPTIVE

  Isabel uttered no reproaches to her charge as, quivering with shame, shereturned from her escapade. She exchanged no more than a low "Goodnight!" with Scott, and then turned back into the room with Dinah. But asthe latter stood before her, crest-fallen and humiliated, expecting areprimand, she only laid very gentle hands upon her and began to unfastenher dress.

  "I wasn't spying upon you, dear child," she said. "I only looked in tosee if you would care for a cup of milk last thing."

  That broke Dinah utterly and overwhelmingly. In her contrition, she castherself literally at Isabel's feet. "Oh, what a beast I am! What abeast!" she sobbed. "Will you ever forgive me? I shall never forgivemyself!"

  Isabel was very tender with her, checking her wild outburst with lovingwords. She asked no question as to what had been happening, for whichforbearance Dinah's gratitude was great even though it served tointensify her remorse. With all a mother's loving care she soothed her,assuring her of complete forgiveness and understanding.

  "I did wild things in my own girlhood," she said. "I know what it means,dear, when temptation comes."

  And so at last she calmed her agitation, and helped her to bed, waitingupon her with the utmost gentleness, saying no word of blame or even ofadmonition.

  Not till she had gone, did it dawn upon Dinah that this task had probablybeen left to Scott, and with the thought a great dread of the morrow cameupon her. Though he had betrayed no hint of displeasure, she feltconvinced that she had incurred it; and all her new-born shyness in hispresence, returned upon her a thousandfold. She did not know how shewould face him when the morning came.

  He would not be angry she knew. He would not scold her like Colonel deVigne. But yet she shrank from the thought of his disappointment in heras she had never before shrunk from the Colonel's rebuke. She was surethat she had forfeited his good opinion for ever, and many and bitterwere the tears that she shed over her loss.

  Her thoughts of Eustace were of too confused a nature to be put intocoherent form. The moment they turned in his direction her brain became aflashing whirl in which doubts, fears, and terrible ectasies ran wildriot. She lay and trembled at the memory of his strength, exulting almostin the same moment that he had stooped with such mastery to possess her.His magnificence dazzled her, deprived her of all powers of rationaljudgment. She only realized that she--and she alone--had been singled outof the crowd for that fiery worship; and it seemed to her that she hadbeen created for that one splendid purpose.

  But always the memory of Scott shot her triumph through with a regret sopoignant as to deprive it of all lasting rapture. She had hurt him, shehad disappointed him; she did not know how she would ever look him in theeyes again.

  Her sleep throughout that last night was broken and unrefreshing, andever the haunting strains of _Simple Aveu_ pulsed through her brain likea low voice calling her perpetually, refusing to be stilled. Only onenight more and she would be back in her home; this glittering, Alpinedream would be over, never to return. And again she turned on her pillowand wept. It was so hard, so hard, to go back.

  In the morning she arose white-faced and weary, with dark shadows underher eyes, and a head that throbbed tormentingly. She breakfasted withIsabel in the latter's room, and was again deeply grateful to her friendfor forbearing to comment upon her subdued manner. She could not make anypretence at cheerfulness that day, being in fact still so near to tearsthat she could scarcely keep from breaking down.

  "Don't wait for me, dear!" Isabel said gently at length. "I see you arenot hungry. We are taking some provisions with us; perhaps you will feelmore like eating presently."

  Dinah escaped very thankfully and returned to her own room.

  Here she remained for awhile till more sure of herself; then Biddy camein to finish her packing and she slipped away to avoid the old woman'sshrewd observation. She feared to go downstairs lest she should meetScott; but presently, as she hovered in the passage, she heard hishalting tread in the main corridor.

  He was evidently on his way to his sister's room, and seizing heropportunity, she ran like a hare in the opposite direction and managed toslip downstairs without adventure.

  She was not to escape unnoticed, however. The first person sheencountered in the vestibule came forward instantly at sight of her withthe promptitude of one who has been lying in wait.

  She recoiled with a gasp, but she could not run away. She was caught assurely as she had been the night before.

  "Hullo!" smiled Sir Eustace, with extended hand. "Going out for a lastlook round? May I come too?"

  She felt the dominance of his grip. It was coolly, imperially possessive.To answer his request seemed superfluous, even bordering uponpresumption. It was obvious that he had every intention of accompanyingher.

  She gave a confused murmur of assent, and they passed through thevestibule side by side. She was conscious of curious glances from severalstrangers who were standing about, and Eustace exchanged a few words witha species of regal condescension here and there as they went. And thenthey were out in the pure sunlight of the mountains, alone for the lasttime in their paradise of snow.

  Almost instinctively Dinah turned up the winding track. They had half anhour before them, and she felt she could not bear to stand still. Hestrolled beside her, idly smoking, not troubling to make conversation,now as ever sublimely at his ease.

  The snow sparkled around them like a thousand gems Dinah's eyes wereburning and smarting with the brightness. And still that tenderwaltz-music ran lilting through her brain, drifting as it were throughthe mist of her unshed tears.

  Suddenly he spoke. They were nearing the pine-wood and quite alone. "Isthere anything the matter?"

  She choked down a great lump in her throat before she could speak inanswer. "No," she murmured then. "I--I am just--rather low about leaving;that's all."

  "Quite all?" he said.

  His tone was so casual, so normal, that it seemed impossible now to thinkof last night's happening save as an extravagant dream. She almost feltfor the moment as if she had imagined it all. And then he spoke again,and she caught a subtle note of tenderness in his voice that broughtit all back upon her in an overwhelming rush.

  "That's really all, is it? You're not unhappy about anything else? Scotthasn't been bullying you?"

  She gasped at the question. "Oh no! Oh no! He wouldn't! He couldn't!I--haven't even seen him today."

  He received the information in silence; but in a moment or two he tossedaway his cigarette with the air of a man having come to an abruptresolution.

  "And so you're fretting about going home?" he said.

  She nodded mutely. The matter would not bear discussion.

  "Poor little Daphne!" he said. "It's been a good game, hasn't it?"

  She nodded again. "Just like the dreams that never come true," shemanaged to say.

  "Would you like it to come true?" he asked her unexpectedly.

  She glanced up at him with a woeful little smile. "It's no good thinkingof that, is it?" she said.

  "I have an idea we could make it come true between us," he said.

  She shook her head. That brief glimpse of his intent eyes had sent asudden and overwhelming wave of shyness through her. She remembered againthe fiery holding of his arms, and was afraid.

  He paused in his walk and turned aside to the railing that bounded theside of the track above the steep, pine-covered descent. "Wish hardenough," he said, "and all dreams come true!"

  Dinah went with him as if compelled. She leaned against the railing, gladof the support, while he sat down upon it. His attitude was supremelyeasy and self-possessed.

  "Do you know, Daphne," he said, "I've taken a fancy to that particulardream myself? Now I've caught you, I don't see myself letting you goagain."

  Her heart throbbed at his words. She bent her head, fixing her eyes uponthe rough wood upon which she leaned.

  "But it's no good, is it?" she said, almost below her breath. "I'v
e justgot to go."

  He put his hand on her shoulder, and she was conscious afresh of theelectricity of his touch. She shrank a little--a very little; for she wasfrightened, albeit curiously aware of a magnetism that drew herirresistibly.

  "Yes, I suppose you've got to go," he said. "But--there's nothing toprevent me following you, is there?"

  She quivered from head to foot. That hand upon her shoulder sent such atumult of emotions through her that she could not collect her thoughts inany coherent order. "I--I don't know," she whispered, bending her headstill lower. "They--I don't know what they would say at home."

  "Your people?" His hand was drawing her now with an insistent pressurethat would not be denied. "They'd probably dance on their heads withdelight," he said, his tone one of slightly supercilious humour. "Iassure you I am considered something of a catch by a good many anxiousmammas."

  She started at that, started and straightened herself, lifting shy eyesto his. "Oh, but we've only been--playing," she said rather uncertainly."Just--just pretending to flirt, that's all."

  He laughed, bending his handsome, imperious face to hers. "It's been afairly solid pretence, hasn't it?" he said. "But I'm proposing somethingslightly different now. I'm offering you my hand--as well as my heart."

  Dinah was trembling all over. She gasped for breath, drawing backslightly from the nearness of his lips. "Do you mean--you'd like--tomarry me?" she whispered tremulously, and hid her face on the instant;for the bald words sounded preposterous.

  He laughed again, softly, half-mockingly, and drew her into his arms."Whatever made you think of that, my elf of the mountains? I'll vow itcame into your head first. Ah, you needn't hide your eyes from me. I knowyou're mine--all mine. I've known it from the first--ever since you beganto run away. But I've caught you now. Haven't I? Haven't I?"

  She clung to him desperately. It seemed the only way; for she was for themoment swept off her feet, terribly afraid of arousing that storm ofpassion which had so overwhelmed her the night before. Instinct warnedher what to expect if she attempted to withdraw herself. Moreover, thetumult of her feeling was such that she did not want to do so. She wantedonly to hide her head for a space, and be still.

  He pressed her close, still laughing at her shyness. "What a good thingI'm not shy!" he said. "If I were, to-day would be the end of everythinginstead of the beginning. Can't you bring yourself to look at your newpossession? Did you think you could laugh and run away for all time?"

  Then, as in muffled accents she besought him to be patient with her, hesoftened magically and for the first time spoke of love.

  "Don't you know you have wrenched the very heart out of me, you littlebrown witch? I loved you from the very first moment of our dancetogether. You've been too much for me all through. I had to have you. Isimply had to have you."

  She trembled afresh at his words, but she clung closer. If the feardeepened, so also did the fascination. She tried to picture him ashers--hers, and failed. He was so fine, so splendid, so much too big forher.

  He went on, dropping his voice lower, his breath warm upon her neck. "Areyou going to take all and give--nothing, Daphne? Did they make youwithout a heart, I wonder? Like a robin that mates afresh a dozen timesin a season? Haven't you anything to give me, little sweetheart? Are yougoing to keep me waiting for a long, long time, and then send me emptyaway?"

  That moved her. That he should stoop to plead with her seemed so amazing,almost a fabulous state of affairs.

  With a little sob, she lifted her face at last. "Oh, Apollo!" she saidbrokenly. "Apollo the magnificent! I am all yours--all yours! Butdon't--don't take too much--at a time!"

  The plea must have touched him, accompanied as it was by that fullsurrender. He held her a moment, looking down into her eyes with thefiery possessiveness subdued to a half-veiled tenderness in his own.

  Then, very gently, even with reverence, he bent his face to hers. "Giveme--just what you can spare, then, little sweetheart!" he said. "I canalways come again for more now."

  She slipped her arms around his neck, and shyly, childishly, she kissedthe lips that had devoured her own so mercilessly the night before.

  "Yes--yes, I will always give you more!" she said tremulously.

  He took her face between his hands and kissed her in return, notviolently, but with confidence. "That seals you for my very own," hesaid. "You will never run away from me again?"

  But she would not promise that. The memory of the previous night stillscorched her intolerably whenever her thoughts turned that way.

  "I shan't want to run away if--if you stay as you are now," she told himconfusedly.

  He laughed in his easy way. "Oh, Daphne, I shall have a lot to teach youwhen we are married. How soon do you think you can be ready?"

  She started in his hold at the question, and then quickly gave herselffully back to him again. "I don't know a bit. You'll have to ask mother.P'raps--she may not allow it at all."

  "Ho! Won't she?" said Sir Eustace. "I think I know better. What aboutthat trip on the yacht in July? Can you be ready in time for that?"

  "Oh, I expect I could be ready sooner than that," said Dinah naively.

  "You could?" He smiled upon her. "Well, next week then! What do you sayto next week?"

  But she shrank again at that. "Oh no! Not possibly! Not possibly!You--you're laughing!" She looked at him accusingly.

  He caught her to him. "You baby! You innocent! Yes, I'm going to kissyou. Where will you have it? Just anywhere?"

  He held her and kissed her, still laughing, yet with a heat that made herflinch involuntarily; kissed the pointed chin and quivering lips, theswift-shut eyes and soft cheeks, the little, trembling dimple that cameand went.

  "Yes, you are mine--all mine," he said. "Remember, I have a right to younow that no one else has. Not all the mammas in the world could comebetween us now."

  She laughed, half-exultantly, half-dubiously, peeping at him through herlowered lashes. "I wonder if you'll still say that when--when you'veseen--my mother," she murmured.

  He kissed her again, kissed anew the dimples that showed and vanished soalluringly. "You will see presently, my Daphne," he said. "But I'm goingto have you, you know. That's quite understood, isn't it?"

  "Yes," whispered Dinah, with docility.

  "No more running away," he insisted. "That's past and done with."

  She gave him a fleeting smile. "I couldn't if--if I wanted to."

  "I'm glad you realize that," he said.

  She clung to him suddenly with a little movement that was almostconvulsive. "Oh, are you sure--quite sure--that you wouldn't rather marryRose de Vigne?"

  He uttered his careless laugh. "My dear child, there are plenty ofRoses in the world. There is only one--Daphne--Daphne, the fleet offoot--Daphne, the enchantress!"

  She clung to him a little faster. "And there is only one Apollo," shemurmured. "Apollo the magnificent!"

  "We seem to be quite a unique couple," laughed Eustace, with his lipsupon her hair.