Drake nodded gravely and took a drink. Even this simple fellow was aware
of Drake's duty to the title and estates.
"Perhaps you may some day, Styles," he said, smiling, and checking the
sigh.
The farmer nodded twice, with pleasure and satisfaction.
"Glad to hear it, my lord; and I hope the wedding's to be soon."
"Soon or late, I hope you will come and dance at the wedding ball,
Styles," Drake responded, with a laugh, as he got up to go.
But the laugh was not a particularly happy one, and he walked toward
home in anything but a cheerful mood; for it is hard to be compelled to
have to marry one woman while you are in love with another.
He entered the park by the small gate behind which Ted and Burden had
stood on the preceding night, and was treading his way through the wood
when he saw two figures--those of a man and a girl--walking in the
garden behind the south lodge. He glanced at them absently for a moment,
then he stopped, and, leaning heavily on his stick, caught his breath.
The man was Falconer, and the girl was--Nell!
They were pacing up and down the path slowly, she with her eyes
downcast, some flowers in her hands, he with his face turned toward her,
a rapt look in his eyes, his hands, folded behind his back, twitching
nervously. They turned full face to Drake as he stood watching them, and
he saw her distinctly. It seemed marvelous to him that he had not fully
recognized her last night, that he had not guessed that the young
engineer was Dick. The blood rushed to his face, then left it pale, and
he stood, unseen by them, gnawing at his mustache.
In all his musings on the past, all his thoughts and dreams of her, the
possibility of her being engaged or married had never occurred to him.
He had always pictured her as still "Nell of Shorne Mills," living at
The Cottage as she had done when she and he were lovers.
And it was she--she, Nell!--to whom this musician was engaged! A wave of
bitterness swept over him, and in the agony of his jealousy he could
have laughed aloud.
He had been sighing for her, longing for her, feeding his soul on his
memory of her, all these months, while she had not only forgotten him,
but had learned to love another man!
He stood and stared at them, as if he saw them through a mist, too
overwhelmed to move; but presently he saw Nell look up with tears in her
eyes, and hold out her hand slowly, timidly.