“God has kept His side of the bargain, and, by Heaven, I’ll keep mine,” he said in a low voice.
At last he slowly made his way up-stairs and paused at the door of the room where his wife lay. Sir Felix had been mistaken in saying that she would die, so might he not be equally mistaken in his judgment that she would live? As he entered the nurse looked at him, a sympathetic smile on her face.
“Don’t make a sound, sir. She is sleeping so peacefully,” she whispered.
He stood by the side of the bed and he was reassured, for the change was wonderful. At her breast the child lay, and the sight brought a choking sensation to his throat. This atom of humanity was their child—his son and hers. Now there was no doubt in his mind that Lady Mildred would love him, and in time, as passionately as he loved her. How strenuously he had fought to win her. With what care he had considered his every action towards her. And the result had been negative. Each overture had been received with a smile and deftly turned aside. Since their wedding day there had been no frankness between them. Perhaps Lady Mildred had discovered the intensity of his feeling towards her, and was half afraid of it.
The baby moved restlessly and in an instant the nurse had taken it up, and was hurrying into the next room.
“Please don’t take him away.”
Lady Mildred had awakened and she spoke appealingly to the nurse.
“Very well, my lady. But you mustn’t let him disturb you.”
“He won’t trouble me,” Lady Mildred answered softly, as the child once more nestled to her breast.
Then for the first time she realized that her husband was present, and a faint tinge of color came to her cheeks.