“So long, dear, that I could not think of being separated from either you or Minnie,” returned Mr. Temple, as he came again to her side and took her tenderly into his arms. “Of course,” he continued regretfully, “I am awfully sorry to take you away while you are enjoying yourself so much, but really it seems unavoidable as things stand.”
“Oh, never mind, Will,” she responded cheerfully, and meeting his lips with an answering caress; “my enjoyment here would be spoiled without you, and the trunks are already half-packed. I set the girls about it as soon as I received your telegram; and, of course, I know it must also be a disappointment to you to miss the races.”
“Nell, you are a jewel,” said the man appreciatively, and greatly relieved by the readiness with which she yielded to his plans; “and now are you going to let me off for this evening?”
“Let you off, indeed!” she retorted, with pretended indignation. “Why, Will, I never heard of anything so absurd. Here you have spent no end of money—to say nothing of my own efforts—to get me up in this superb style, and now you do not care to come with me to see how I will shine among other brilliant social stars at this most magnificent affair of the season. Phil is well enough and a most attentive escort, but I shall not appear at Congress Hall to-night without my husband. Come, Will,” she added, laying her white arms around his neck with a coaxing air, “I know you are tired, but you really must come—at least, to take me in and dance once or twice with me; then, if you want to come back and go to bed I shall not mind so much.”
The man sighed, but made no further objection. But he was oppressed with a terrible fear that he might run against his enemy if he should leave his hotel, and he would rather lose half his fortune than that he should ever set eyes on his beautiful wife or learn anything in connection with his domestic affairs, and he inwardly cursed the luck that had caused their paths to cross that day.
He knew that, to a certain extent, he was in this man’s power—that he could ruin his whole future if he chose, and he had not the slightest doubt that he would choose if the opportunity offered; hence his eager desire to get his family away from Saratoga before he could gain any information regarding them.
But, of course, all this involved secrets of the past which he could not explain to his wife, and he was consequently obliged to resign himself to the inevitable and yield the point under discussion.
Accordingly, less than an hour later the wealthy banker and his resplendent wife made their appearance at Congress Hall, where they were by no means the least conspicuous among the brilliant company that thronged its spacious ballroom.
But a heavier heart could not have been found beating in the breast of any human being than that of William Temple, in spite of his millions, and the seemingly enviable position which he occupied in the world.