‘Never,’ Harry Noel answered, with his eyes fixed rather on her blushing face than on the luscious pale white tuberose. ‘I shall carry away with me always the most delightful reminiscences of beautiful Trinidad and of its lovely—flowers.’
Nora noticed at once the significant little pause before the last word, and blushed again, even deeper than ever. ‘Carry away with you?’ she said regretfully, echoing his words—‘carry away with you? Then do you mean to leave the island immediately?’
‘Yes, Miss Dupuy—immediately; by the next steamer. I’ve written off this very morning to the agents at the harbour to engage my passage.’
Nora’s heart beat violently within her. ‘So soon!’ she said. ‘How very curious! And how very fortunate, too, for I believe papa has taken berths for himself and me by the very same steamer. He’s gone to-day to call on the governor; and when he comes back, he’s going to decide at once whether or not we are to leave the island immediately for ever.’
‘Very fortunate? You said very fortunate? How very kind of you. Then you’re not altogether sorry, Miss Dupuy, that we’re going to be fellow-passengers together?’
‘Mr Noel, Mr Noel! How can you doubt it?’
Harry’s heart beat that moment almost as fast as Nora’s own. In spite of his good resolutions—which he had made so very firmly too—he couldn’t help ejaculating fervently: ‘Then you forgive me, Miss Dupuy! You let bygones be bygones! You’re not angry with me any longer!’
‘Angry with you, Mr Noel—angry with you! You were so kind, you were so brave! how could I ever again be angry with you!’
Harry’s face fell somewhat. After all, then, it was only gratitude. ‘It’s very good of you to say so,’ he faltered out tremulously—‘very good of you to say so. I—I—I shall always remember—my—my visit to Orange Grove with the greatest pleasure.’
‘And so shall I,’ Nora added in a low voice, hardly breathing; and as she spoke, the tears filled her eyes to overflowing.