“What a home this is for Gloria to come to! What a strange fascination it is that brings her here and keeps her here. Why, our poor little cottage on Sandy Isle is a civilized and refined home compared to this! And we have the small comforts of life and a few books and a few little ornaments. And Promontory Hall is a queen’s palace to this. For here, in this unfinished and almost unfurnished place, there is not a papered wall, not a single carpet, nor a curtain, nor a picture, nor a cast, nor a book to be seen. It supplies only an inventory of negations. How can she stay here? But there is one good in the place. She is as safe here, perhaps safer here with Mrs. Brent, than she would be anywhere else; for I am not sure, if she were within the reach of her half-crazy guardian, that her marriage would be any protection against his persecution. Finding out this marriage to have been only a form, he might choose to ignore it and urge upon her the expediency of having it legally annulled. I cannot trust an infatuated man without religious principles to restrain him. Yes, she is better here for the present, and if I could get Miss de Crespigney to join her here, it would be the best thing that could happen for her; for Miss Agrippina is too strictly principled not to hold to the sanctity of marriage vows, even in such a case as ours, and she would be now the best protection for my unloving bride. I will try to get Miss Agrippina to come to her, even if I have to brave that lady’s rage.”
So mused David Lindsay, sitting before the dining-room fire, until he was interrupted by the entrance of Mrs. Brent, bringing a coffee-pot in her hands and followed by a negro man with a large dish of broiled partridges.
“Dear me! Good-morning, sir! You here! I was just a going to send Hector to let you know breakfast was ready; for as I didn’t see you in the big parlor with Mrs. Lindsay, I thought you were still in your room,” said the good woman.
“I have been down some time; but there was no one in the parlor when I looked in.”
“Mrs. Lindsay has only been there for a few minutes, sir. Here she comes now! Now, Hector, bring in the muffins.”
Gloria entered at the same moment.
David Lindsay arose and placed a chair for her. They only said good-morning to each other by a look.
The last dishes were set on the board, Philippa joined them, and they all sat down to the table, the girl just nodding by way of a morning salutation.
“I hope you slept well, ma’am?” said Mrs. Brent, interrogatively.
“Profoundly. I never even dreamed or stirred until morning! If there be a ghost about the house it didn’t disturb me,” answered Gloria.