At the Age of Eve Part 19

"I've told you that I have never cared for any other woman. That's what makes me feel such an utter fool now! To think that, at my age, I should have let a pa.s.sion take such possession of me--before I knew whether or not there was the slightest chance of its being returned!"

"Oh, love, how humble the little G.o.d makes us! When all along you have been _King_ Richard to me."

"Well, there was never a king who found so worthy a queen-consort.

When are you going to marry me, Ann?"

We had strayed off the heights a little and I was taking a much-needed breathing spell in the less rarified air, when he sent my senses reeling again at the question. Married! To this regal creature, who is so splendid in mind, body and spirit! And he was asking me to marry him, me--simple Ann Fielding, a dreamer of dreams, who had never dreamed one half so radiant as this blessed reality! To live with him always! "The desire of the moth for the star," oh, joy, the moth was going to reach the star this time! Greater joy! the star was reaching out just as longingly for the moth, and calling the tiny creature another, an infinitely brighter star!

"I hardly expected you to be in such a hurry about marrying," I finally answered, after he had repeated the question. "I have heard you say such cynical things about the holy estate--when you thought I wasn't listening. One time you said you thought pa.s.sion consisted largely of not knowing what a woman looks like before breakfast."

"Sweetheart," and his eyes were very serious, "I am sorry for every light word I have ever spoken about marriage--since you have honored me so." Then teasingly he continued after a moment, "The thing I desire most on earth just now is to know what _you_ look like before breakfast, sweet Mistress Ann."

"Do you desire that most? Then what next?"

"You know, love. My ambition is next--and all I have in the world besides you."

"You want to marry me and be governor of this state--now, on your honor, which do you desire the more--_Richard_?"

He threw his arms around me again, as I called his name, and stopped my mouth with kisses.

"Don't jest," he begged. "It is sacrilege to-night."

Then we strayed from the heights again, and fell to talking about his ambition, and from that to more commonplace affairs still--how we were going to spend the next few days, and how we might arrange that to-morrow, Sunday, could be pa.s.sed together. _Together_, that was all that either of us desired.

"I'll come early enough in the morning to go to church with you," he suggested, "then we'll have luncheon at Beauregard's, if we can get Mrs. Clayborne to go with us, and--"

"Mrs. Clayborne?" I asked in surprise. "What for?"

"Ann," and he took my hand gently, as if he might be admonis.h.i.+ng a child, "I consider it entirely out of place for a woman to go out alone with a man, even if the two are engaged. Evidently your mother has never given the matter as much consideration as I have always insisted should be used in the case of my sister--for I have seen you alone with this friend, Doctor Morgan, several times. When I happened to meet you in Beauregard's the night of the _circus_," there was a struggle here between amus.e.m.e.nt and sarcasm, "I thought, of course, he was some very close relative. But I find that he is only a dear friend, with whom you take long country drives--and who gives you heirloom volumes of Byronic poetry."

"We have known each other since he first started to college," I stated, by way of defense, but I own with less a.s.surance than I should have used if there had not been before me the picture of the scene in Ann Lisbeth's library.

"I think it would be well to return the book with a note saying that you had found it too valuable a gift for you to feel justified in accepting. And, of course, you understand that from now on _I_ furnish you with every pleasure that it is in the power of a man to provide for the woman he loves. If you want books, you have only to let me know; if you wish to take a long country drive, you have but to call me. I'll even take you to the circus," we both laughed, "if your inclination is in that direction; but, little love, no other man must come near you!"

"You are inclined to be jealous?"

"Not at all! I am simply trying to avoid all cause for jealousy."

"There isn't any other man who wants to come near me," I answered truthfully, as I recalled Alfred's beseeching look when he had virtually asked me to avoid meeting him.

"Nonsense," he declared, so suddenly and so decidedly that I smiled with the pure joy of having him jealous. Richard Chalmers jealous!

Afraid that I might fall in love with some other man! "n.o.body could look at you without being attracted. I am far from being a ladies'

man, but I acted a fool for weeks last winter--because I had happened to pa.s.s you on a country road. When you were driving with another man, too!"

"That was because we had found each other," I said, running my hand through his soft, light hair, and dwelling on the proud privilege that was mine.

"--Well, you will be guided by my advice in this matter, I feel sure,"

he said finally, "and you are too clever a little woman not to manage to keep all other men at arm's length without betraying the secret of our engagement."

"Secret?"

"Yes, please, dearest! Let us keep it secret from every one save our families until this deuced nomination business is over. There would be a lot of talk, you understand, because I happen to be a little in the limelight now. They would be wanting to put your picture in the papers for all the other men to gaze at. I can't bear to see a woman's picture in the paper."

I laughed a little and agreed with him. This was only another phase of his kingly character. Whatever is his must be _his_, with a fanatical exclusion of every one else.

"I called you Richard, Coeur de Lion, but it was a mistake. You are a sultan."

"With only one love, my Nourjehan."

CHAPTER XI

A DRAWN BATTLE

"And all the time the marble _belonged_ in the coffee-pot spout!"

"How do you know? Who told you?"

Rufe and Cousin Eunice looked up from the grape-fruit which had been absorbing their attention. They always sleep late on Sunday morning, and, on account of the headache and croup of the night before, they had slept later than usual this morning. I had been up for hours and had already had a walk out in the brilliant October suns.h.i.+ne.

"Your Cousin Richard told me!"

My words were quietly spoken, with only a tiny smile that insisted upon creeping around the corners of my mouth, out of sheer happiness from speaking his name. But, quiet as they were, they electrified the two at the table.

"Ann! _What?_"

"'Tis true. The marble is placed in there, when the pot is being made--to keep in the heat, you understand. Richard always makes the coffee himself on hunting-trips, and--"

"Ann! _Will_ you hush talking about coffee-pots? Tell us what you mean! Are you already engaged to Richard Chalmers?"

"Yes. _Engaged!_"

"Well, upon my word! And this is how the shy young creatures feel about the matter when the man's back is turned," Rufe said, starting up and pulling out my chair for me. "You ought to have your eyes cast down, and whisper the news with blushes and tears, you horribly modern young woman!"

But he patted my shoulder affectionately and said Chalmers always had been a lucky devil. Cousin Eunice stared at me a moment in silence.

"And you are very happy?" she asked.

"Yes. _Very_ happy."

"Then I congratulate you both." But she did not come and kiss me, for which I was very thankful. I have a masculine dislike for scenes. It was for this reason that I sprung the news of the marble in the spout first.

She asked a few questions as to how it had come about, but, while she manifested no great enthusiasm, she was too humane to make any kill-joy reference to her request of me last night.

We finished breakfast and I pushed back my chair.