Two days later he had a grand funeral, at which Mrs. Fleming was the chief mourner, for his young widow was too ill to attend it. She had a relapse from the awful shock of the news, and hovered for days between life and death.
When she was well enough to sit up again, she found two very tender letters awaiting her perusal. One was a very fond and tender note from Annette, proffering her sympathy, and telling her of the grand funeral, and how beautiful the new mound looked in Greenwood, all banked with fragrant flowers.
The other letter was from Mrs. Fleming, whose pride, crushed and broken by the death of the cousin she had truly loved, stooped now to crave forgiveness of her she had wronged.
Think kindly of his memory, now that he is gone; for indeed I am most to blame, and I feel that Heaven has punished me for my sin in taking him away, when we were always so fond of each other, having no nearer kin. I know you can never be real friends with me; but won’t you pretend to be friends, so that the world—Royall’s world and mine—need never know how that marriage came about? I would like to come and see you, so that people might say we love each other for Royall’s sake. May I? And, Daisie, will you please me by wearing black for him? It would please him if he could know. Of course you will marry Lord Werter after a while; it is only right you should. I have not a word to say. I loved him myself—perhaps Royall told you that—but Dallas cared only for you, and you two will be happy together at last, despite all my wicked scheming. It is the will of Heaven. Oh, if you could find it in your tender heart to pity and forgive me!
The next mail carried the repentant woman an envelope sealed in black, and one tear-blotted line:
I forgive—for Royall’s sake.
Daisie.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
“LOVE IS LORD OF ALL.”
Two years, and the grass was green on Royall Sherwood’s grave.
Many times had a beautiful form, robed in somber black, knelt by that low, green mound; many times had Daisie hung flowers upon the broken marble shaft, and watered them with her gentle tears.