Mr. Carleton put down his basket, and looked in some surprise at the hesitating anxious little face that looked up at him.
"Wont you please not say anything to grandpa about my going away?"
"Why not, Fairy?" said he, kindly.
"Because I don't think I ought to go."
"But may it not be possible," said he, "that your grandfather can judge better in the matter than you can do?"
"No," said Fleda, "I don't think he can. He would do anything he thought would be most for my happiness; but it wouldn't be for my happiness," she said, with an unsteady lip, "I don't know what he would do if I went!"
"You think he would have no sunshine if your wand didn't touch him?" said Mr. Carleton, smiling.
"No, Sir," said Fleda, gravely, "I don't think that, but wont you please, Mr. Carleton, not to speak about it?"
"But are you sure," he said, sitting down on a stone hard by, and taking one of her hands, "are you sure that you would not like to go with us? I wish you would change your mind about it. My mother will love you very much, and I will take the especial charge of you till we give you to your aunt in Paris; if the wind blows a little too rough I will always put myself between it and you," he added, smiling.
Fleda smiled faintly, but immediately begged Mr. Carleton "not to say anything to put it into her grandfather's head."