The words were spoken confidently and the two men stared at one another steadily.
CHAPTER X
A fortnight passed and Gaunt made no further effort to arrive at an understanding with his wife. They met but seldom, and always in the presence of Edward Drake or Lady Ethel, so that he came to the conclusion that Lady Mildred was desirous of avoiding any intimate conversation with him, and in this supposition he was right.
As a matter of fact Lady Mildred was unsettled in mind, and did not quite know what she herself wished. It must be remembered that love had never touched her heart, and she much preferred to keep her feelings well in hand, for she imagined that to care for a man deeply would cause her more discomfort than pleasure.
Lady Mildred was physically strong and she had completely recovered her health; in fact motherhood had added to her beauty, for it had given a gentler expression to her face and had banished a great deal of the coldness that had been there. A drive in the park had brought a fresh color to her cheeks so that when she reëntered the house, her sister looked at her with undisguised admiration.
“Mildred, I am only just beginning to realize how very beautiful you are,” Lady Ethel remarked. “I am not surprised that your husband adores you so openly.”
Lady Mildred made no reply but took off her coat and turned away her face so that her sister should not see the flush that had come to her cheeks.
“Will you ring for tea?” she said quietly.
Lady Ethel laughed slightly as she touched the button of the bell, and there was still a smile on her face when she took a seat by the side of her sister.
“I think you are a very lucky woman and ought to be very happy—but I don’t think you are, Mildred,” she remarked frankly.