“‘It rests with you, after all,’ I ventured.
“She was silent, swishing at the hedges with her stick as she passed.
“‘Doesn’t it?’ I urged.
“‘Oh—I suppose so.’
“‘How do you mean, you suppose so? Nobody wants you to marry him; your parents don’t; your brothers don’t. You need never see him again. Send him away!’
“‘I can’t do that,’ she said in a very low voice.
“‘Why not?’
“‘I can’t.... I sometimes feel I can’t escape Rawdon,’ she cried out. ‘He’s always been there since I can remember, I think he always will be there. There’s something between us; it may be fancy; but there’s something between us.’
“‘Hush!’ I said, startled as I was; ‘here he is.’
“He caught us up, walking rapidly, and I could see at a glance that he was determined to have it out with Ruth in spite of my presence. He came up with us, and he took her by the arm.