“Oh, how good of you. I was afraid you would be angry and object.”
He smiled a little sadly.
“I’ve enough money in hand for your ticket. You can catch the early boat train, and I’ll send some more by tomorrow’s post. Had you better see Mr. Elliott about being absent from the office for a day or two, or shall I see him in the morning?”
“He won’t mind. I’ve got everything straight since I came back, and Miss White will do my work for a day or two. If you would see him in the morning, and just tell him Miss Vivian is very ill and I was sent for. He knows what friends we are, and would understand.”
“Very well. Now you must have some dinner, and get to bed, for you will have a long, anxious day tomorrow.”
In a sudden rush of feeling, she put her hands on his shoulders and kissed him.
“I’m so grateful,” she said, in a quivering voice. “I can’t tell you. It has all come upon me as a shock. I had not the faintest suspicion.”
It was not natural to him to be demonstrative, and he only turned away with a slight embarrassment, saying:
“I’m sure you hadn’t. But I feel I can trust you now, Hal, to be discreet as well as quixotic. Your mission, if one can call it such, will need both.”
Then he sought to distract her mind for the present, and while they dined he talked of many things to interest her.