“Yes, indeed I care for him a great deal,—as a friend. But I don’t think I love him as I ought to—as I want to love the man I marry.”
“Fiddlesticks! You don’t know your own mind, that’s all. You’re a foolish, sentimental child. Now, look here, you marry Philip soon,—and you’ll find out that you do love him. Why, who could help it? He’s such a splendid fellow. He would make you as happy as the day is long. Patty, he’s a man of a thousand. He hasn’t a bad trait or an unworthy thought in his mind. You don’t know how really fine he is. And he adores you so,—he would give you every wish of your heart.”
“I know he would. He has told me so. But I can’t feel sure that I care for him in the right way. And I can’t promise——”
“You mean you won’t! You are willing to trifle with Philip’s affections and lead him on and lure him with false hopes and then——”
“Stop, stop! That’s not fair! I never led him on! We have been good friends for years, but I never even imagined his wanting to marry me until he told me so last summer.”
“Last summer! And you haven’t given him a definite answer yet! You keep him on tenter-hooks without the least consideration or care as to his feelings. If he were not such a patient man, he would have given up all idea of wanting you. Do you know what you are, Patty Fairfield? You’re a little flirt, that’s what you are! You ought to be ashamed of yourself! How many other men have you on a string? Several, I dare say.”
“Lady Van, you have no right to talk to me like this? If you were not ill, I’d be very angry with you. But as you are, I ascribe your harsh speeches to the illness that is racking you. Now, let us drop the subject and talk of something pleasanter.”
“We’ll do nothing of the sort! I sent for you to get your promise, and I’m going to get it!” Mrs. Van Reypen sat upright in her bed, and shook her clenched hand at Patty. “You little fool!” she cried, “any girl in her senses would be only too glad to get such a man as my nephew! You are honoured by his wanting you. I am very fond of you myself,—you are so pretty and sunny-faced. But if you refuse me this wish of my heart, I shall cease to love you. I won’t leave you that money, I——”
The old lady’s voice rose nearly to a shriek, and she glared at Patty with a fairly malevolent gaze.
That last speech was too much for Patty.