"If he wants it, where is his nobility? If it be as you say, he will have shown himself noble, and his nobility will have consisted in this, that he has been willing to take that which he does not want, in order that he may succour one whom he loves. I also will succour one whom I love, as best I know how." Then she walked on quickly before her friend, and Lily stood for a moment thinking before she followed her. They were now on a field-path, by which they were enabled to escape the road back to Allington for the greater part of the distance, and Grace had reached a stile, and had clambered over it before Lily had caught her.
"You must not go away by yourself," said Lily.
"I don't wish to go away by myself."
"I want you to stop a moment and listen to me. I am sure you are wrong in this,—wrong for both your sakes. You believe that he loves you?"
"I thought he did once; and if he has come here to see me, I suppose he does still."
"If that be the case, and if you also love him—"
"I do. I make no mystery about that to you. I do love him with all my heart. I love him to-day, now that I believe him to be here, and that I suppose I shall see him, perhaps this very afternoon. And I loved him yesterday, when I thought that I should never see him again. I do love him. I do. I love him so well that I will never do him an injury."
"That being so, if he makes you an offer you are bound to accept it. I do not think that you have an alternative."
"I have an alternative, and I shall use it. Why don't you take my cousin John?"
"Because I like somebody else better. If you have got as good a reason I won't say another word to you."