Book: The Castle Of The Shadows

A >> Alice Muriel Williamson >> The Castle Of The Shadows




It was a long, folded document of legal aspect which she thrust into his
hand, and in the blue evening light he opened it. At sight of the first
words the blood leaped to his dark face, marble no longer, but a man's
face, young, handsome, and virile. He looked from the paper to Virginia.

"Why, it is a deed of gift!" he exclaimed. "The chateau--no, Miss
Beverly, you are more than generous, but this cannot be. The chateau is
yours--I would rather it belonged to you than to any one on earth, even
myself--and yours it must remain."

"I bought it for you. It will break my heart if you refuse," said
Virginia, with tears in her voice.

The sound of her pain smote him with anguish. He lost his head and forgot
the barrier between them--that he was poor, with a dark past and an
uncertain future, that she was a great heiress.

"Break your heart!" he repeated. "My darling, my angel, I would give all
the blood in mine for one smile from you. I never meant to say this. I
oughtn't to say it now, but--it said itself. You must have known before.
You are the very soul of me, though I'm not worthy to touch your dear
hand. I couldn't take the old home from you--don't you understand? I
couldn't live there again with this love of you in my heart, for it would
make it so much the harder. I can't forget you; I would rather die than
forget you. This love is too sweet to live without, but I know very well
that we can never be anything to each other, and my plans are all made.
As soon as Madeleine is married I shall go out to Africa and try for luck
as other men have tried--and found it. It is better for me to be far away
from you----"

"No, no, I love you!" cried Virginia. Then putting him from her with a
quick gesture: "But it will be I who go far away from you. I have no right
to care. My cousin, Roger Broom, will take me to England--anywhere--it
doesn't matter. I promised long ago to marry him. In the winter
perhaps----"

"In the winter you and Max here will be spending your honeymoon at the
Chateau de la Roche," said Roger's voice, with a hard cheerfulness. "That
old promise--why, I never meant to hold you to it, dear. I don't take
bribes, and--I saw this coming long ago. I'm quite content it should be
so. You'll forgive me for overhearing, won't you, girlie? I didn't mean
to give you such a surprise, but I'm not sorry now. Give me your hand,
Max, old man, and you, Virginia. There! I'm glad it should be the old
cousin-guardian who joins them together."

"You mean it, Roger?" panted Virginia.

"Of course I mean it."

The two hands joined under his. And the man and the girl were too happy
to read anything save kindness in its nervous pressure.

THE END

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