She raised her head from his shoulder and looked at him from under heavy lids. “How good you are, Vittorio!” she repeated chokingly. Taking his head between her hands, she pressed her lips upon his. “And now, good-by.”
He held her away from him, and looked lingeringly into her face. A cry escaped him.
“Good-by, my Anne, good-by.”
He released her, and without turning his head, walked swiftly towards the door and closed it quietly behind him.
Anne looked after him dully. An odd pain tugged at her heart. The room became strangely vacant. Deserted by the winter sun, paneled walls gleamed wanly. Upon the hearth, the fire lay smothered within its own embers.
What had she done?
A landmark had been reached and passed; a turning taken. The homely, the familiar highroad lay behind. The perilous forest closed in upon her darkly.
With a weary movement she raised her bare arms above her head, and let them fall heavily against her sides.
The ivory clock upon the mantel chanted five mellow notes.
Anne started up from her chair. It was the hour for the daily visit to Alexis.