“My fate? No; certainly not my future,” he answered.
“At least it makes you silent. You need not say you were listening to the music,” she added banteringly, “for I don’t believe you heard a note of it.”
Her woman’s instinct was right; happily, he thought, there were limits to it. What if she could have divined all his thoughts just then!
“Forgive me, darling,” he replied. “What you told me led my thoughts to ramble among dark ways. It is as well to explore, and then have done with them for ever. Now I am in the sunshine again.”
The music had come to an end. Count Prosper and the player joined them.
“I can honestly say I never enjoyed music so much before,” Herriard said, in the midst of their thanks. “Did you, Countess?” he asked meaningly, and Alexia was forced to say, “Never.”
Soon the Austrian girl took her leave. When Count Prosper returned from seeing her to her carriage, he was full of enthusiasm over her performance. “I never heard playing that gave me as much delight,” he said, with a touch of foreign exuberance.
“I never shall,” Herriard observed quietly.
Prosper gave him an enquiring glance; Herriard looked at Alexia and laughed. “May I explain?” he asked.
Prosper laughed too, a little mystified. “Please do.”