“And Vashti—after—you won’t keep me waiting too long.”
She looked at him, arch rebuke in her eyes.
He reddened.
“There,” he said, “I’m spoiling it all I know. Go, dear, and send Lanty.” She moved away a step. He followed her swiftly and caught her to his breast with passion.
“Tell me, Vashti,” he said, “that you love me as I love you; tell me that life together seems the only thing possible to you.” She put her arms about his neck.
“I love you dearly,” she said, “I could not look forward to life except with you.”
With those words and with the embrace of her soft warm arms, every doubt or shadow died in Sidney’s heart. He returned her embrace, too moved to speak, and left her to enter the room of the dying man.
Vashti went to the kitchen door and called her cousin.
“Lanty,” she said, “will you come a moment?”