“What has happened?”
He bent over her with a great gesture of tenderness and gazed into her face.
“Gabriel!”
“Speak!”
She caught her breath, pressed a hand over her heart, spoke hurriedly and huskily, like one faint with suffering.
“To-night my father had a letter,” she said, “a letter with a great red seal. What was in it, Heaven only can declare. Ah! he was furious, mad—he raved at me—”
She faltered and drooped. Gabriel bent to her; his arm went about her shoulders, his face overhung hers.
“Yes, yes!”
“He raved at me, such words I cannot speak them nor understand—”
“Joan!”