‘Engaged,’ he murmured, ‘really and truly engaged! My God! why did I not have the courage to speak before?’
His despair roused her compassion. She drew nearer, and laid her hand upon his shoulder.
‘Indeed, it would have been of no use, dear friend,’ she said gently; ‘Henri and I have made up our minds upon this matter for some time past, and should have been married long ago, had his position been a little better assured.’
‘Oh, of course, I stand no chance against him!’ replied Captain Norris bitterly. ‘Monsieur de Courcelles, with his handsome face, and dandy dress, galloping about the plantation on his switch-tailed mustang, must needs carry everything before him. But he is not true to you, Liz, all the same—and sooner or later you will find it out. If he is engaged to be married to you, he is a scoundrel, for he spends half his time at the great house making love to the planter’s pretty daughter.’
‘How dare you say so?’ cried Liz, springing from her chair, and standing before him with her face all aflame. ‘What right have you to take away my lover’s character before me?’
She had been too bashful to call him by that name before, but now that she heard him (as she thought) so cruelly maligned, she felt he needed the confession of her love for a protection against his slanderers.
‘Don’t be angry with me, Liz! don’t be offended, but I feel I must tell you the truth, even at the risk of never speaking to you again. De Courcelles is not worthy of you. Every one sees it but yourself. His attentions to Maraquita Courtney are the common talk of the town, and I heard bets passing pretty freely this evening as to whether the planter would ever countenance his impudent pretentions to her hand.’
‘It is not true,’ repeated Liz, though her face had turned very pale; ‘but if it were, I know no reason why Mr Courtney should object to Henri as a son-in-law.’
‘You are wilfully blind to the fact then that he has black blood in his veins.’
Liz flushed crimson. How impossible it seems, under the most favourable circumstances, completely to overcome the natural prejudice against the mixture of blood; but she was true to her colours.