“How much I love you,” she repeated, twining and untwining her slender hands as she spoke, “and yet, Adrian, I must part from you.”
“Not a bit of it, wild bird,” was the reply. “You and I are never going to part again in this world—we shall be man and wife before a week is out. Now, Nancy, do you really believe that a slender bit of a girl like you can oppose a man of my sort, more particularly when you confess how much you love me? Why, the last obstacle to our marriage was withdrawn last night, and now you talk about a secret, as if any secret that ever existed can come between us. After all, Nance, that old father of yours was a very crabbed nut to crack—well, he is out of the way, now.”
“He was my father—do not speak against him.”
“I won’t, child; far be it from me to hurt you by disparaging the dead. Your father is dead now and you are alone. I whistle and you come to me, my pretty bird. I lure you to my side and you stay with me always. We’ll be married next week. Hullo! what are you trying to say, sweetheart? You had a terrible night, forsooth, and you speak of an awful doom which you say hangs over you. Faith! Nancy, there is no doom which ever yet hung over a girl’s head that can part you from me. Now, look me full in the eyes. Jove! child, you have almost wept your pretty eyes out of your head. Well, look full at me if you can. Dare to say ‘no’ when you look me full in the eyes.”
“I am overpowered by a terrible fate,” said Nancy slowly. “You know what a strange man my father was. You must have guessed that we, he and I, always carried a secret with us. It was a terrible secret and it ruined my father’s life—it ruined my life also. For six long years I have been a miserable girl.”
“You shall be a happy woman for the rest of your days, to make up for those six years of misery.”
“Adrian, you must hear me out.”
“Walk up and down with me, sweetheart; you’ll catch cold if you stand still.”
Rowton stole his strong arm round Nancy’s waist; they walked in front of the old Grange. Nancy soon found her head resting against her lover’s shoulder.
“Now we can talk,” he said, “but I defy you to say much about parting while I am as near to you as I am now; out with your secret, my wild bird, we’ll share it.”