"Mrs. Mencke informs me that she and her husband are contemplating a
tour of the Alps this summer," he remarked, by way of introduction.
Violet looked up surprised. She had not heard her sister say anything
about such a tour, and there was nothing that she dreaded so much, in
the present weakened state of her mind and body, as being taken about to
various fashionable resorts and to be obliged to meet gay
pleasure-seekers.
She sighed heavily, but made no other reply to Lord Cameron's
information.
"You feel that it would be rather hard for you to make such a trip, do
you not?" her companion inquired, gently. Then, without waiting for a
reply, he went on: "How would you like, instead, to come with me to the
Isle of Wight and spend a quiet, restful summer, interspersed perhaps,
with a little yachting now and then?"
A great shock went through Violet at this, as she realized that he
wanted her to become his wife immediately and go home with him.
A blur came before her eyes, a great lump seemed to rise in her throat
and almost choke her.
Oh, she thought, if she could only flee away to her own room at home in
Cincinnati and stay by herself, out of the sight or sound of everybody,
what a relief it would be!
She shrank more and more from Belle and Will and the idea of going about
from place to place with them; still, a feeling of guilt and wrong
oppressed her every time she thought of marrying this good, noble man,
and giving him only the ashes of a dead love in return for the wealth of
his affection for her.
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