Charles Rex, Ethel May Dell [find a book to read txt] 📗

in Saltash's conical chamber, and he, the king of all her dreams, was kneeling by her side.
That was the first thing that occurred to her--that he should kneel.
"Oh, don't! Oh, don't!" she said quickly. "I am not--not Maud."
He regarded her humorously, but the old derisive lines were wholly gone from his dark face. His eyes held something that was unfamiliar, something that made her quiver with a quick agitation that was not distress.
"So I am only allowed to kneel to Maud!" he said.
She tried to meet his look and, failing, hid her face. "I--I know you have always loved her," she murmured rather incoherently. "You couldn't--you couldn't--pretend to--to--to really love anyone else--after Maud!"
There fell a brief silence, and she thought the beating of her heart would choke her. Then there came the touch of his hand upon her head, and its wild throbbing grew calmer.
"No," he said, and in his voice was a new deep note unknown to her. "I am not pretending, Nonette."
The light touch drew her as it were magnetically. With a swift, impulsive movement she raised herself, gave herself to him, hiding her face still more deeply against his breast.
"But you--you--you couldn't really love me!" she whispered like an incredulous child. "You sure you do?"
His arms went round her, holding her fast. He made no other answer. Saltash, the glib of tongue and ready of gibe, was for once speechless in the presence of that which has no words.
She nestled closer to him as a little furry animal that has found its home. Her incredulity was gone, but she kept her face hidden. "But why didn't you tell me before?" she said.
He bent his black head till his lips reached and rested against her hair. "Nonette," he said, "you told me that I had made you believe in God."
"Yes?" she whispered back rather breathlessly. "Yes?"
"That's why," he said. "You got me clean through my armour there. Egad, it made me a believer too. If I'd failed you after that--well, He'd have been justified in damning me, body and soul!"
"But you couldn't!" she protested. "You couldn't fail me!"
His dark face twisted with the old wry grimace. "I've failed a good many in my time, Nonette. But--no one ever trusted me to that extent. You practically forced me--to prove myself."
A little gasp of relief came from Toby. She spoke with more assurance. "Oh, was that it? You were just trying--to be good?"
"Just--trying!" said Saltash.
"You still trying?" asked Toby, a little curious note of laughter in her voice.
"I shan't keep on much longer," he returned, "unless I get what I want."
"There'd be a blue moon if you did!" remarked Toby impudently.
Saltash raised his head abruptly. "By Jupiter! There is one!" he said. "Let's go to her!"
Toby's face shot upwards in a moment. "Where?"
Her eyes sought the skylight above them and the dim mysterious blue of the night. His came down to her in a flash, dwelt upon her, caressed her, drew her.
She turned sharply and looked at him. "Charles Rex!" she said reproachfully.
He took her pointed chin and laughed down at her. His eyes, one black, one grey, shone with a great tenderness, holding hers till they widened and shone back with a quick blue flame in answer.
Then: "As I was saying," remarked Charles Rex royally "when I was interrupted some six months ago--I have never yet refused--a gift from the gods."
"But you've taken your time over accepting it, haven't you?" said Toby, with a chuckle.
He bent to her. "Let's go!" he said again.

THE END
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Publication Date: 01-07-2010

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