Edna’s color rose.
“He will never know it,” she said proudly; but the next moment her tone changed. “Oh, Bessie, what shall I do? Sometimes I am so miserable that I hardly know how I am to go on living. I never thought I should miss Neville like this, but I do—I do.”
“Do not think me unkind if I say that I rejoice to hear it; it proves how deep and real your affection was.”
“It was the only real part of me,” was the reply. “Now it is too late, I have discovered it for myself. I never would let myself think seriously of my engagement. I liked Neville, and I meant to marry him one day, and that was all I thought about it; but now I see that the real feeling was there all the time, only choked up with rubbish, and I am quite sure that I could never care for any one else in the same way—never—never.”
“Poor Edna! it is very hard, and I am so sorry for you.”
But as Bessie spoke Christine came back into the room with a small tray of refreshments, and her mother followed, so she and Edna were obliged to break off the conversation.
CHAPTER XX.
“BESSIE’S SECOND FLITTING.”
Just before Edna left them Dr. Lambert came into the room. He seemed very pleased to see her, and at once offered to drive her to the station. Bessie was a little disappointed at this, for she had hoped to walk down with her friend; it would have given them time to finish their conversation; but Edna certainly looked tired, so she refrained from a dissenting word.