She waved her hand as if she were moving the obstacle aside. Her father
stared at her in a kind of stupefaction.
"My girl, don't you know what you are asking for? A life of
wretchedness and misery; the hell of being married to a man who doesn't
love you."
She laughed and drew herself up, her eyes flashing, a warm glow on her
cheeks.
"Who doesn't love me! Not now, perhaps; but do you think I should not
teach him to love me, make him love me? Look at me, father!"
He looked at her reluctantly, in a kind of dazed admiration and
resentment.
"Do you think any man could resist me if I set my mind upon winning
him? No! Oh, it's not the language of hysterical vanity! I know my
power; every woman knows how far her power will go. Let me have him to
myself for one week, and--" She caught her breath. "Love! Yes, he shall
return mine tenfold! I will teach him!" She caught her breath again and
pressed her hands to her bosom. "Don't be afraid, father, I will take
care of the future. Help me in the present; help me as I have asked
you!"
"By God, you ask too much!" he said, sternly, fiercely.
She stood and looked at him. The colour slowly left her face until it
was white as death, the light faded from her eyes until they were dull
and lifeless, the red of her lips paled and the lips themselves relaxed
and drooped, and as he looked at her a ghastly fear smote his heart and
a question shot into and a question shot into his eyes. She inclined
her head as if he had put the question in words.
"Yes," she said. "I shall die. You remember my mother? I shall follow
her--"
He uttered a low, hoarse cry, and caught her hands and held them; then
he flung them from him, and standing with his back to her, said,
thickly, as if every word were forced from him: "You shall have your way! You always have had, like your mother before
you--you always will. But mark my words: you'll live to curse the hour
you forced me to do this!"
She drew a long breath--it was almost a sigh--of relief, and she laid
her hands on his arms and kissed him on the forehead.
"I'll risk that," she said, with a tremulous laugh.
There was a silence for a moment, then she said, calmly: "You will play your part carefully, father? You will let Sir Stephen
think that Stafford desires it: you will be careful?"