“Colonel Falconer, your wife was seized with a sudden sickness an hour ago, and you must not be surprised or frightened if you find her still in bed.”
Then he threw open Pansy’s door.
CHAPTER XXXII.
THE REVELATION.
Colonel Falconer was so shocked and startled by Willie Laurens’ words that he staggered rather than walked across the threshold of the room where Pansy was lying, with close-shut eyes, among the white pillows of the bed, carefully watched by Nora Laurens, who now, at a sign from her brother, arose and left the room.
Colonel Falconer found himself alone with Pansy, and, at the closing of the door, she opened wide those wondrous eyes of violet blue, and looked mournfully up into his face.
Oh, the pain, the grief, the despair of that glance! It went straight to the man’s loving heart, and he fell on his knees with a groan, and pressed his lips to her white brow in passionate love.
She lay still and sorrowful, while fond words of love poured from his lips, and kisses rained on her fair face. She said to herself that if he repudiated her and cast her off after he had heard her sad confession, she would have the memory of these caresses to comfort her when her noble husband was lost to her forever.
By and by he lifted his head, and said reproachfully:
“You should not have gone out, my darling, if you were not feeling well. You know you have not been strong for some time.”
She knew that she must speak now, and so she answered faintly: