“Amethyst,” he said, “commonplace and conventional doings are not for you. I am playing a bold game, and I think—I think—I shall win it. I’m not going to pretend that I am what you call a good man, there are plenty to tell you the contrary; but I am going to tell you that, after all I have known and done, I love you passionately. Even you cannot give me a first love. What do I care? You shall love me now. I defy any one to say that I have let trifles stop me when my heart is set on a purpose. Are you thinking of your half-sister? She was too weak a creature to venture anything for my sake. But after I saw you, I said, Here is my fate. So I managed for my niece to join you, and I set to work on a plan. I caught your attention with talk that surprised you. No other man ever dreamed of such love for you. I soon saw that there was no chance, but by one bold stroke to tell you so. You can understand me. You know that we can give each other life.”
“I—I don’t think I am in love with you,” stammered Amethyst in a broken, childish voice, and with eyes fixed, as if fascinated, on his face.
“No, darling, but you shall be. Besides, you have not yet heard what I ask of you. I don’t imagine that your father would let you marry me now. I tell you plainly, I cannot marry—in a short time I shall have the means to do so. You know I have been abroad settling my affairs, and when I got back I was resolved that I would not wait a moment before letting you know that all there is of me is yours. Others may shrink from your father and brother’s reputation. I care for it so little that I am not afraid to allude to it in your presence. Tell me that I don’t love you in vain, tell me—Ah, you think I am mad, that I am too bold. Is that possible?”
“I cannot—answer—in a minute,” said Amethyst. “I never thought you were more than a friend.”
“But I was a friend?” he said, taking her hand and coming closer. “And I want to teach you what a friend can be. You need not promise, there is nothing to tell the world about at present. But we will be friends; we understand each other, we can talk and write—as friends. You can throw me over if you like, by and by. But I have laid my heart open to you, and I think—I think you have felt that the world is a dull place with no love in it.”
“Oh, it is!” burst from Amethyst’s lips. “My life is very dreary.”
“Your life dreary. Never any more, my darling; we will make each other’s happiness now.”
“Amethyst!”
The door was pushed open, and Una came quickly into the room. She went right up to her sister, and stood by her side.
“I had lost you,” she said anxiously.