‘There is not much to tell you. The ruin is more complete than even I imagined it to be, and the fault is mine. Your friend—I ought to say our friend—Mr Beecham has made a generous offer for the business, and, with certain modifications, will allow it to be carried on under my management. This relieves us from immediate difficulties; and in a short time Mr Shield expects to have recovered sufficiently from his recent losses to be able to assist me in redeeming all that has been lost.’
‘What gladder news could there be than this?’ she exclaimed with cheeks aglow and brightening eyes; ‘and yet you tell it as if it gave you no pleasure. Philip, Philip! this is not like you—it is not right to be so melancholy when the future is so bright.’
‘Is it so bright? Are you forgetting how long it must be before I can repay Mr Shield? before’——
He was going to say, ‘before I can ask you to risk your future in mine, and what changes may take place meanwhile!’
The earnest tender eyes were fixed upon him, and they were reading his thoughts, whilst she appeared to be waiting for him to complete the interrupted sentence. She saw the colour slowly rising on his brow, and knew that he was feeling ashamed of the doubt implied in his thought.
‘I want to tell you something,’ she said in her quiet brave way, ‘and I hope—no, I believe that it will take one disagreeable fancy out of your head. I know that you did not mean what you said to me on that dreadful evening.’
‘What else could a ruined man say?’ (This huskily and turning his face aside.)
‘He could say that he trusted his friends. Even Uncle Dick is angry with you for imagining that your misfortune could make any difference in his feelings towards you. And for me, you ought to say ... but there, I am not going to speak about what you ought to say to me; I am only going to tell you what I shall do.’
He looked quickly at her, and the eager inquiry on his pale face rendered the words ‘What is that?’ superfluous.
‘I shall wait until you come for me; and when you come, I shall be ready to go with you where you will, whether you are poor or rich. No matter what anybody says—no matter what you say, I shall wait.’