“Dear Syl,—I want to thank you for nursing me, and for ‘Iris.’ It showed me how to love her. Don’t wait to take care of her. She wants you now. It is all quite right, and makes me happy.
“Your old friend,—
“Lucy.”
Sylvester watched her read with trembling intentness, then he sank on his knee by her side.
“Oh, Amethyst!” he said, “you know—you always have known. You understand—you know these words almost break my heart, and yet fill it with happiness. Oh, my dearest, we have known this long time. Will you let him give you to me now?”
“No,” said Amethyst, “for—for he knew that I did not belong to him. But I will give myself, and—and oh, help me to be worthy of the love he gave me.”
“Help you? Oh, my love, is it possible that you love me? I have hoped it—half believed it—but now it seems beyond belief.”
“Oh,” said Amethyst with full conviction, “I never could have given all my love to any one else in the world! I can be good with you!”
“There is one thing I must tell you,” said Sylvester, when at last they were sitting side by side and talking more quietly; “you know I have never had enough work to fill up my life. Whatever other men have made of my position, I have taken it easy. Now, through friends at Oxford, I have been asked to undertake the head-mastership of a new public school, which is going to be started in the Midlands. It will be a great concern, and will have to be organised, and begun from the very beginning. I used to talk over the first idea of it with some of the men interested; and that, and my degree, have, I suppose, led them to think of me. It would be hard anxious work, and out of society; but it is a great opening, and—is it utterly throwing you away, to think of taking you there?”
“Oh,” cried Amethyst, eagerly, “I should like it. I like work; I would help you all I can. Last year I had quite made up my mind that I would take to teaching myself. I think it would be delightful to begin and see everything grow and prosper. Nothing can be too different from what I have known lately.”
Her eyes shone and her lips smiled. Her strong young spirits sprang up once more, and she looked ready indeed for the stir of life.