She ventured to look at his eyes again. Who could this strong young man be, so bold, and yet so gentle, so courteous and yet waiting for no permission to take so positively hold of her, to carry her bodily half the length of the piazza. And now so respectfully asking on his knees to be forgiven? Asking with tones of tender humility in his voice, while his eyes she knew could emanate subduing magnetic beams.
“How do you know Victoriano is coming? He went out riding,” she said, evading the question of forgiveness, and for the sake of making some reply that would hide her confusion.
“Yes, but I met him and he returned with me. He has gone to look for Señor Alamar, I came to see him on business,” said the respectful young man, still on his knees.
“Do you know my father?”
“Only very slightly.” They were silent. He added: “I met him a few days ago when he had that meeting with the squatters.”
“Were you at the meeting?” said she, avoiding his gaze.
“Yes,” he said, watching her beautiful face. What would she think of him, believing him a Squatter, one who came to take land that did not belong to him? How he wished that she would look up, that he might see her lovely eyes again, for if to her his eyes seemed so glorious, to him hers fascinated, conquered, with a power that he never thought could exist in any human being. Trembling, he felt that he was madly in love with her. Yes, already in love. Love at first sight, surely. But if it killed him, no matter, he would love her to the last instant of his life.
Voices were heard approaching through the hall. He stood up and walked towards the door. Señor Alamar came forward and shook hands with him. Victoriano explained the reason of his delay being, that he had to look for his father all over the house, and at last found him in the furthest “corral” looking at some new colts just brought in.
“I am glad that Mercedes came to converse with you,” said Victoriano.
“I did not come to converse. I did not know that the gentleman was here. I came by accident,” she hastened to reply. “I was trying to catch Milord when I stumbled and would have fallen, had not this gentleman prevented it.” So saying, she blushed anew; her blushes being immediately reflected on Clarence's forehead, made them both look like a couple of culprits.