CHAPTER XXIII.
THE PROPOSAL.
With all possible haste Claire summoned the housekeeper and gave Faynieinto her charge.
It was more than disappointing to her to have Faynie lapse intounconsciousness just as she had reached the most interesting part of herstory and was about to tell her how very romantically handsome Lesterhad proposed. It had been just like a page from a French novel.
She little dreamed that the art of making love was an old one to him.
Kendale had gone to the Fairfax mansion with the express purpose ofproposing marriage that evening, for only that day Mr. Conway, the oldcashier, had told him confidentially that the affairs of the great drygoods concern were in a bad shape--that the check for the hundred andtwenty-five thousand which had just been paid out had crippled themsorely.
And, after a moment's pause and with a husky voice, he added slowly: "Ifsomething like three hundred thousand dollars is not raised within thenext sixty days you are a ruined man, Mr. Armstrong."
This announcement fell with crushing force upon Kendale, who hadimagined that there could be no end to the flow of money that waspouring in upon him.
"There's only one way of raking in that much money in a hurry, and thatis by marrying the little lame heiress," he soliloquized.
It so happened that he had an engagement to call there on thisparticular evening, and he resolved that he would not let theopportunity slip past him--that there was no time like the present.
Fortune, fate, call it what you will, favored Kendale on this particularoccasion, as it usually did. He found Claire alone in the drawing-roompractising some sheet music which he had sent her a few days before.
She started up in confusion as the servant ushered him into the room, aswift blush crimsoning her cheeks.
"Mamma will be down directly, Mr. Armstrong," she said, looking at himshyly from beneath her long lashes.
"Miss Stanhope--Claire!" he exclaimed impulsively, seizing both of herlittle hands in his, "may we not have a few words together before mycard is sent up to your mother? Oh, Claire, you would surely say yes ifyou knew all I had to say to you. Be kind and consent."
"Since you seem to desire it so earnestly, I am sure I have no wish toobject," she answered, trembling in spite of her efforts to appearunconcerned under the fire of his keen, ardent gaze.
"You are an angel," he cried, seating himself in a chair so near herthat he could still hold the little fluttering hands, which she fainwould have drawn from his clasp, for, although she had never before hada proposal of marriage, she guessed intuitively what was coming.
"Since I have but a few minutes alone with you, Claire, what I have tosay must be said quickly," he began.
For the first time in her life Claire was at a loss for an answer.
"I am sure you have guessed my secret, sweetest of all sweet girls," hemurmured. "Every glance of my eyes, every touch of my hand, must havetold it to you from the first moment we met. Did it--not?"
"No," faltered Claire, her eyes drooping like a flower under the sun'spiercing rays.
"Then my lips shall tell you," he cried. "It is this--I love you, littleClaire--love you with all my heart, all my soul. You are the light of mylife, the sunshine of my existence, my lode-star, my hope--all that ayoung girl is to a man who idolizes her as the one supreme being onearth who can make him happy. Oh, Claire, I worship you as man neverworshiped woman before, and I want you for my wife."
She opened her lips to speak, but he went on rapidly, hoarsely:
"Do not refuse me, for it would be my death warrant if you did. I tellyou I cannot brook a refusal from those dear lips of yours. If you donot consent I shall make away with myself in your presence here and nowwith a revolver which lies in my breast pocket."
A scream of terror broke from Claire's terrified lips.
"Oh, do not make away with yourself, Mr; Armstrong!" "I--I willpromise--anything you--you want me to! Only don't shootyourself--don't!"
"Then you accept me?" queried Kendale in a very businesslike manner.
"Ye-es--if mamma does not--object," she answered in a stifling manner.
"There must be no ifs," he declared. "You must take me, no matter whoobjects. If we cannot bring your mamma around to an amicable way ofthinking, we must elope--that is all there is about it."
"Elope!" gasped Claire in affright.
"Why, what else would there be left to do?" he asked, with asperity. "Ilove you and I must have you, Claire, and if you are willing to take me,why, we will marry in spite of anything and everything that opposes.
"Of course, if your mamma sees things as we do, all well and good; butI say now to you, her objections must make no difference whatever in ourplans."
"Oh, Mr. Armstrong!" gasped Claire, not knowing what in the world to sayto this ardent lover, who was so impetuous in his wooing.
Before he could add a word Mrs. Fairfax came down the grand stairway,her silken gown making a rustling frou-frou upon the velvet carpet.
She looked much surprised at finding him there, as she had not beenapprised of his coming.
Kendale arose to greet her in his usual impressive, languid, courteousfashion, managing to whisper in Claire's ear hastily:
"Make some excuse to leave the drawing-room for a few minutes, dear, andwhile you are gone I will broach the all-important subject to yourmother."
Mrs. Fairfax greeted the handsome young man cordially, pretending not tohave noticed how near to each other they had been sitting upon herentrance to the drawing-room, and how suddenly they had sprung apart.
Her daughter's blushing face and confused manner told her that thepropitious moment had arrived--the handsome heir to the Marsh millionshad proposed.
And underneath her calm exterior Mrs. Fairfax's heart beat high withexultation. Her quick ear had also caught that rapidly whispered lastremark to Claire, and, realizing that her daughter was too muchflustered to act upon it, gave the young man the opportunity to be alonewith her which he seemed to desire by remarking:
"Dear me, I have left my fan in my boudoir, Claire, dear, would you mindringing for my maid to fetch it to me?"
"I will go for it, mamma," returned Claire, shyly, without daring tolook at her lover.
"As you like, my dear," returned Mrs. Fairfax, with very naturalappearing carelessness.
Claire was gone quite half an hour in search of the fan. When shereturned to the drawing-room her mother met her with open arms.
"Mr. Armstrong has told me all, my darling," she murmured, "and I givemy consent. You may marry him if you love him, daughter, and quite assoon as he wishes."
Kendale left the mansion two hours later with a self-satisfied smile onhis lips.
"Marrying heiresses is much easier than most men suppose," hemuttered--and he stopped short in the grounds, standing under a treeuntil the lights went out one by one, shrouding the house in gloom.
Meanwhile, girl like, Claire had flown to Faynie's apartment to tellher the wonderful news--that her handsome lover had really proposed andher mother had given her consent, and she was to be married at once.
Faynie's swoon had put a stop to confiding to her all the wonderfulthings Lester had said. "I will tell her in the morning," she promisedherself, little dreaming what was to transpire ere the morrow dawned.
Mischievous Maid Faynie Page 23
