He moved forward, and laid his arm round her shoulders, as she sat in her low chair beside him.
'What is it, dear? I have been keeping you up too late.'
She lifted a hand, and brought his face near to hers.
'David, I am a stupid little thing—but I do understand more than I did, and I would never, never desert you for anything,—for any sorrow or trouble in the world!'
The mixture of yearning, pain, triumphant affection in her tone, cannot be rendered in words.
His whole heart melted to her. As he held her to his breast, the hour they had just passed through took for both of them a sacred meaning and importance. Youth was going—their talk had not been the talk of youth. Was true love just beginning?
CHAPTER VIII
'My God! My God!'
The cry was David's. He had reeled back against the table in his study, his hand upon an open book, his face turned to Doctor Mildmay, who was standing by the fireplace.
'Of course, I can't be sure,' said the doctor hastily, almost guiltily. 'You must not take it upon my authority alone. Try and throw it off your mind. Take your wife up to town to see Selby or Paget, and if I am wrong I shall be too thankful! And, above all, don't frighten her. Take care—she will be down again directly.'