"Now for my part of the story," said Cardo, when she returned.
"First let me take the tea-things away, Cardo."
"No, no, bother the tea-things; let them be for a while, Valmai. I
forbid your carrying them away at present, and, you know, you have
promised to obey."
"Yes, indeed, and to love you, and no one ever did love anybody as much
as I love you. Oh, I am sure of it. No, indeed, Cardo. Not more,
whatever, but you know, you know," and her head drooped low, so that he
had to raise her chin to look into her face.
"I know what? I know you are my wife, and no earthly power can
separate us now. Where is your ring, dearest? It should be on this
little finger."
"No, it is here," and Valmai pressed her hand on her neck; "you know I
was to wear it here instead of on my finger until next year."
"Until I came back, darling; and until I took it off myself and placed
it on your finger. Come, wifie, where is it?"
Valmai allowed herself to be persuaded, and Cardo, undoing the white
satin ribbon, drew off the ring, and placed it on her finger. She
looked at it thoughtfully.
"Am I, then, really your wife, Cardo?"
"Really and truly, Valmai; signed, sealed, and delivered," he said;
"and let me see the man who dares to come between us!" and his black
eyes flashed with a look of angry defiance which Valmai had not seen
there before.
"Oh, anwl! I hope your eyes will never look like that at me," she said.
"But they will," said Cardo, laughing, "if you are the culprit who
tries to divide us. You don't know how fierce I can be."
"Please, sir, can I take the tea-things now?"
"On condition that you come back at once. No, let me carry them out
for you, dearest; you shall not begin by waiting upon me."
"Oh, but I must, Cardo, for old Mrs. Finch goes home when she has
brought the tea in always."
And she laughed merrily at Cardo's clumsy efforts at clearing away. As
she opened the door into the passage a tremendous roaring and snorting
filled the air.
"What on earth is that?" said Cardo.
"It is my uncle snoring, and if you dropped that tray (which I am
afraid you will) the clatter wouldn't awake him."
"Good old man! let him rest, then. You are not going to wash up those
things?"
"No, Mrs. Finch will do that in the morning. And now, Cardo, I must do
what my uncle told me to do," she said, as they returned into the cosy
parlour, glowing with the light of the blazing fire; and, holding up
her dress with her two fingers, she made a prim little curtsey, and
said: "I hope your tea has been to your liking, sir? And now for the rest of
my duty. Here is his jar of tobacco, and here is the kettle on the
hob, and here is the bottle of whisky, and here are the slippers which
I had prepared for you."