What was it? He felt irresistibly drawn. Without intending to do so, he
turned and stared at the woman in brown. Her hand went to the veil and
swept it aside. Nora was as full of romance as a child. She could have
stopped him before he made the boat, but she wanted to be alone with him.
"Nora!"
She flung herself on her knees in front of him. "I am a wretch!" she
said.
He could only repeat her name.
"I am not worth my salt. Ah, why did you run away? Why did you not pursue
me, importune me until I wearied? ... perhaps gladly? There were times
when I would have opened my arms had you been the worst scoundrel in the
world instead of the dearest lover, the patientest! Ah, can you forgive
me?"
"Forgive you, Nora?" He was numb.
"I am a miserable wretch! I doubted you, I! When all I had to do was to
recall the way people misrepresented things I had done! I sent back your
letters ... and read and reread the old blue ones. Don't you remember how
you used to write them on blue paper? ... Flora told me everything. It was
only because she hated me, not that she cared anything about you. She told
me that night at the ball. I believe the duke forced her to do it. She was
at the bottom of the abduction. When you kissed me ... didn't you know
that I kissed you back? Edward, I am a miserable wretch, but I shall
follow you wherever you go, and I haven't even a vanity-box in my
hand-bag!" There were tears in her eyes. "Say that I am a wretch!"
He drew her up beside him. His arms closed around her so hungrily, so
strongly, that she gasped a little. He looked into her eyes; his glance
traveled here and there over her face, searching for the familiar dimple
at one corner of her mouth.
"Nora!" he whispered.
"Kiss me!"
And then the train came to a stand, jerkily. They fell back against the
cushions.
"Lecco!" cried the guard through the window.
They laughed like children.
"I bribed him," she said gaily. "And now...."
"Yes, and now?" eagerly, if still bewilderedly.
"Let's go back!"