Mr. Guildford made no answer. “You don’t think women should have such feelings, I know,” she went on, in a tone of disappointment. “You think they should take things as they come, and be contented to stay in their own domain.”
“No, not quite that. There are exceptional women as well as exceptional men,” he replied. “I don’t consider myself one of the latter, but still I understand myself. Whatever it was that I said that you are alluding to now, referred only to my own domain. I don’t dictate to other people. I know what is best for myself, and least likely to interfere with the aims of my own life—that is all. And so far as I understand you,” he went on in a different tone, “your present trouble seems to be that you want to stay in your own domain, and you can’t get leave to do so.”
There was a half-veiled inquiry in his tone, but Cicely did not perceive it. He tried to believe that she was only referring to some passing trouble, some wish of her parents, perhaps, that she should enter more into society, or give up the more arduous of her home duties. For Geneviève’s assurance that her cousin and Mr. Fawcett were “like brother and sister only,” was strongly impressed upon him. Cicely’s reply puzzled him still more.
“Perhaps it is rather that I am not sure where is my own domain,” she said. “And you being a man, can never be troubled with doubts of that kind,” she added more lightly.
“I don’t know that,” he answered, feeling instinctively that she wished to turn the conversation from her own affairs. “I often doubt, as I think I have told you, if I did well to come to Sothernbay at all.”
“But you are thinking of leaving it eventually!” she asked with interest.
“Yes,” he answered. “When ‘eventually’ may be I can’t say, though things lately seem inclined to hasten it. I had a piece of good luck—at least of great encouragement—a short time ago. But,” he stopped for a moment, “it is very egotistical of me to talk about all this. It can’t possibly interest a young lady.”
“Why not?” she said. “If I had a brother who was clever and learned like you—above all, who worked as hard as you do—do you think I should not be interested in his success? So fancy I am your sister. You have no sister?”
“Yes, I have,” he answered. “I have a very good little sister. She is certainly not the least like you, Miss Methvyn.”
Cicely laughed. Mr. Guildford had a rather original way of expressing himself sometimes.