“Will he be glad to see me? Or sorry that I interrupted his tête-à-tête with Ada?” she wondered.
Then she drew back abruptly into the shadow of some tall palms. She caught the sound of voices of persons coming in. Ada was bringing her visitor to see the flowers.
Even now Eva might have escaped by another door, but she stood spellbound, unable to move, held by the tones of the voice she loved so well.
“Oh, why cannot I hate him?” she thought desperately. “I used to despise him heartily enough in the old days at home, when we met and passed as strangers!”
But she could not go; she stood still, and consoled herself with the thought that it was only politeness. She ought really to thank him for his kindness the other day.
The other two came slowly along, stopping to smell the flowers and exclaim at their beauty.
“How fortunate Eva is. She has everything that heart can wish,” said Miss Winton.
“She deserves it all!” Doctor Ludington replied gently, and Eva’s heart thrilled with joy.
Then Ada broke a rosebud and fastened it in his buttonhole.
Eva, peering through the leaves, saw the fair, handsome head bent over Ada, and the smile on the lips as he thanked her for the gift.