Geneviève looked up at her with a puzzled air. “I thought you were colder than you are,” she said. “Perhaps I have mistaken you altogether. I—I don’t know what to do. Shall I go home—to Hivèritz to-day, this afternoon? You would never hear of me again. Would you like me to go?”
“What do you mean, Geneviève?” asked Cicely sternly. “Why should I wish you to go? Do you know any reason why I should?”
Geneviève grew scarlet. In her excitement and confusion of thought, she had almost persuaded herself that Cicely must suspect her secret, or that, if this were not so, that she must confess it. But now that the opportunity offered, her natural cowardice returned and tied her tongue. “I do not know what I mean,” she said. “I thought, perhaps, now that you are sad, I should be a trouble to you.”
Cicely looked at her. “You have no reason to think so,” she said coldly. But she did not press Geneviève to explain herself further. “I shall say what I have to say to Trevor, and to him alone,” she resolved.
Geneviève had begun to cry again. “I am so unhappy, so very unhappy,” she said miserably.
“I am sorry for you,” said Cicely kindly.
“You would not be if you knew the whole, why I am so unhappy,” sobbed Geneviève.
“Yes, I should be. If I thought even that your unhappiness was of your own causing, that you deserved it,” said Cicely impressively, “still I should be sorry for you—more sorry, perhaps.”
“You are very good. I will never again say you are not,” exclaimed Geneviève impulsively. “You deserve to be happy, Cicely, and I am very sorry for your troubles. I am very sorry you have lost a father so kind, so indulgent. And, oh! Cicely,” she continued impetuously, “can it be that it is also true that you have lost all your riches?”
At any other time the indescribable tragedy of Geneviève’s manner as she reached this climax in her recital of her cousin’s misfortunes would have provoked Cicely to smile. As it was, she turned from her with some impatience. “What would it matter if it were true?” she said wearily. “How can you think of such things just now? You should not listen to servants’ gossip.”