"Never! I feared your anger, your sorrowing looks, but—but that?—Never, never!"
"And yet it will be so. It must be so."
"Oh, no, no! Neither now nor ever, because—because I love you, Robert."
"Amy! wife!" he said, sternly, "there must never be a question of love between us, now. That—that is at an end, and must never be named again. I forgive you, but forget I never can," and then he left her, before she could say one word. Left her to her young heart's anguish and bitter despair, tenfold greater than the anguish he had depicted being hers long ago, because hopeless—hopeless of ever now winning back his love again. And what a love it had been! She began to see, to feel it all now, now that it had gone, left her for ever.
"God help me!" she cried, "I never, never thought it would have come to this. God help me! I have no other help now, and forgive me if I have broken his heart."
Then by-and-by she rose, and with wan, stricken face, went back to her boy.
Mr. Blane was bending over Bertie, who was crying in feeble, childish accents, "Give me some water to drink. Please give me some water."
"Presently, my little man; all in good time."
"But I want it now—I must have it now."
"My mistress, Mrs. Vavasour, sir," said Hannah, as Amy entered, and stood silently by his side, and looked anxiously into his face, as she returned his greeting.