But in another second he had ceased to stare.
CHAPTER XXVIII
THEY decided to keep their engagement to themselves for a short while, but on the fourth day Mrs. Montgomery entered Lee’s room abruptly.
“I must have the truth, my dear child,” she said. “In the first place, unless you are engaged to Lord Maundrell, I cannot permit you to take these long walks and rides alone with him; you never did such a thing before. And in the second place——”
“Don’t cry,” said Lee, fondling her nervously. “That is one reason I haven’t said anything about it. I knew you would be disappointed about Randolph, and I can’t even bear to think of leaving you——”
“If you only could have loved Randolph!”
“Really and truly, I tried—two or three times. But I made up my mind long ago that I would not make a mistake when I married, if I could help it. I don’t expect a bed of roses with Cecil—he’s too high and mighty, and he’s too self-centred—but at least I love him well enough to put up with anything, and nothing could make me love him less—no matter what happened.”
“Oh, I hope you will be happy!—I hope you will be happy! Lord Maundrell is really most interesting and charming; his air and his manners are really—really. And Tiny is very happy with Arthur. But I shall be so lonely—and poor Randolph!”
“Can’t you and he come to England to live?”
“I have six other daughters and five grandchildren here, remember, and Randolph is in too great a hurry to get rich to begin over again in a new country. Tiny will be here soon now for a year, and I shall go back with her. Of course, I shall see you then, but you are really lost to me.”