Man and Wife Wilkie Collins (read 50 shades of grey .TXT) š
- Author: Wilkie Collins
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Blanche took the box from the womanās hands, and joined Anne in the bedroom, to dress herself for the drive home.
āI am going back to a good scolding,ā she said. āBut a scolding is no novelty in my experience of Lady Lundie. Iām not uneasy about that, Anneā āIām uneasy about you. Can I be sure of one thingā ādo you stay here for the present?ā
The worst that could happen at the inn had happened. Nothing was to be gained nowā āand everything might be lostā āby leaving the place at which Geoffrey had promised to write to her. Anne answered that she proposed remaining at the inn for the present.
āYou promise to write to me?ā
āYes.ā
āIf there is anything I can do for youā ā?ā
āThere is nothing, my love.ā
āThere may be. If you want to see me, we can meet at Windygates without being discovered. Come at luncheon-timeā āgo around by the shrubberyā āand step in at the library window. You know as well as I do there is nobody in the library at that hour. Donāt say itās impossibleā āyou donāt know what may happen. I shall wait ten minutes every day on the chance of seeing you. Thatās settledā āand itās settled that you write. Before I go, darling, is there anything else we can think of for the future?ā
At those words Anne suddenly shook off the depression that weighed on her. She caught Blanche in her arms, she held Blanche to her bosom with a fierce energy. āWill you always be to me, in the future, what you are now?ā she asked, abruptly. āOr is the time coming when you will hate me?ā She prevented any reply by a kissā āand pushed Blanche toward the door. āWe have had a happy time together in the years that are gone,ā she said, with a farewell wave of her hand. āThank God for that! And never mind the rest.ā
She threw open the bedroom door, and called to the maid, in the sitting-room. āMiss Lundie is waiting for you.ā Blanche pressed her hand, and left her.
Anne waited a while in the bedroom, listening to the sound made by the departure of the carriage from the inn door. Little by little, the tramp of the horses and the noise of the rolling wheels lessened and lessened. When the last faint sounds were lost in silence she stood for a moment thinkingā āthen, rousing on a sudden, hurried into the sitting-room, and rang the bell.
āI shall go mad,ā she said to herself, āif I stay here alone.ā
Even Mr. Bishopriggs felt the necessity of being silent when he stood face to face with her on answering the bell.
āI want to speak to him. Send him here instantly.ā
Mr. Bishopriggs understood her, and withdrew.
Arnold came in.
āHas she gone?ā were the first words he said.
āShe has gone. She wonāt suspect you when you see her again. I have told her nothing. Donāt ask me for my reasons!ā
āI have no wish to ask you.ā
āBe angry with me, if you like!ā
āI have no wish to be angry with you.ā
He spoke and looked like an altered man. Quietly seating himself at the table, he rested his head on his handā āand so remained silent. Anne was taken completely by surprise. She drew near, and looked at him curiously. Let a womanās mood be what it may, it is certain to feel the influence of any change for which she is unprepared in the manner of a manā āwhen that man interests her. The cause of this is not to be found in the variableness of her humor. It is far more probably to be traced to the noble abnegation of self, which is one of the grandestā āand to the credit of woman be it saidā āone of the commonest virtues of the sex. Little by little, the sweet feminine charm of Anneās face came softly and sadly back. The inbred nobility of the womanās nature answered the call which the man had unconsciously made on it. She touched Arnold on the shoulder.
āThis has been hard on you,ā she said. āAnd I am to blame for it. Try and forgive me, Mr. Brinkworth. I am sincerely sorry. I wish with all my heart I could comfort you!ā
āThank you, Miss Silvester. It was not a very pleasant feeling, to be hiding from Blanche as if I was afraid of herā āand itās set me thinking, I suppose, for the first time in my life. Never mind. Itās all over now. Can I do anything for you?ā
āWhat do you propose doing tonight?ā
āWhat I have proposed doing all alongā āmy duty by Geoffrey. I have promised him to see you through your difficulties here, and to provide for your safety till he comes back. I can only make sure of doing that by keeping up appearances, and staying in the sitting-room tonight. When we next meet it will be under pleasanter circumstances, I hope. I shall always be glad to think that I was
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