Chapter 39

The house was silent and still. All had retired, and Dexie moved gently about, placing the room in order, wishing that Traverse would make some move to leave the house; but he seemed in no hurry to depart, as he stood with his elbow on the low mantel, watching her.

At last Dexie broke the silence by asking anxiously:

"Do you think papa is any worse than usual to-night, Mr. Traverse?"

"Well, I hope not, Miss Dexie. Does he take those bad turns very often?" and his eyes were full of pity as he spoke.

"Not often at this hour; the turn of the night is always his worst time. Oh! I hope it will not be severe to-night. He seems so much weaker than usual that I--I'm afraid for him," she said brokenly.

"Let me stay with you to-night, Dexie; I cannot go away and leave you with such a dread on your heart," and he came near to her side. "I can help you if he is worse," he added, gently, "so let me share your watch to-night; indeed I will not leave you like this," for his tender, sympathetic words brought the tears, and she hid her face in her handkerchief.

Presently she grew calmer, but her voice was very low as she answered:

"You are very kind, Mr. Traverse, but I shall not need your help. I can call Mrs. Jarvis if he should be worse. I thank you for your kind offer, but your assistance will not be necessary."

"That is not kind of you, Dexie," said Guy reproachfully. "Your father said I was his best friend, and you ought not to send me away when I might be of service to him; so let me stay, Dexie."

"Well, I suppose it looks rude to refuse your help; but I am sure mamma and Gussie would think it improper, if I allowed you to remain," she answered, with downcast eyes.

"Is that the reason you do not wish me to stay with you?" and he smiled down at the bowed head. "Do you think conventionality should be considered when your father's comfort is in question?" he asked. "You know your father has often asked me to sit with him when he was restless and could not sleep, but you did not seem willing," he added, seeing she had no reply, "and I have been anxious to please you in all things, Dexie."

"There was no need to consult me about it," she replied, feeling vexed at the tone that implied so much more than he had a right to express under the circumstances, and taking her work-basket to the far side of the table she sat down to work.

"Must I go or may I stay, Dexie? at least till the time of your father's usual attack? Be kind this once and say I may stay."

"As you please. There is a new book of poems, and a late New York paper," said she presently, feeling that she must say something. "They will help to pass away the time."

But Guy Traverse had no intention of passing his time over reading-matter, something of a more personal nature was in hand. Dexie was determined she would not be the first to break the silence, and the ticking of the clock was the only sound heard for some time.

"And so my attentions are obnoxious, Miss Dexie? I was grieved to hear that, when I wished them to be the opposite."

The words, low and tender, brought painful heart-throbs to Dexie's bosom, but she hastily answered:

"You said they should not be so in the future; so please say no more on the subject," and glad to escape from his earnest gaze, she rose and looked into her father's room.

Finding him quietly sleeping, she soon returned, and folding up her finished work, laid aside the basket, then brought from a drawer a frame containing the delicate piece of needlework her father referred to, and began to pass the needle back and forth. Presently Guy came over to her side, and stood looking down at the work in her hands; then said with a smile:

"Is this the fine wedding present you are going to give me, Dexie?"

"I was not in earnest when I spoke, but I will not go back from my word, if you think it will be acceptable," was the low reply.

"If that is the only thing you will give me for a wedding present, I think I won't accept it;" then bending over her, said tenderly, "My darling! I want you to give me yourself!"

Dexie was on her feet in a moment, her embroidery forgotten.

"Mr. Traverse! do you wish to insult me? How little you must respect me, to speak to me like that!"

"My little girl, why will you misunderstand me? Don't you know that I love you with my whole heart--will you not let me tell you?" as she shrank away from him.

"Those are strange words to say to me, Mr. Traverse, after telling us about your approaching marriage; and papa thinks you are a gentleman."

"And you do not!" smiling at her indignant look. "Dearest, you must let me explain," and he came nearer.

"No! I will hear no explanation! there can be none after what you have said! Is it honorable to say such things to me while you are looking forward to marriage with another?" and her eyes flashed angrily.

"Dexie, you are mistaken. Surely you do not think me such a villain!"

"What else do your words imply?"

"That I am looking forward to my marriage with you, dearest; that was what I meant to-night," taking a step nearer, and looking at her tenderly.

"Do gentlemen usually announce their approaching marriage before saying a word to the lady in question? I am not so easily deceived as you think, Mr. Traverse."

"But, Dexie, you would not let me say the word, though I have sought an opportunity for weeks past. Dearest, I have loved you since I first knew you, even during the time I thought you were promised to another. I hid it then in my own breast; but lately, since I heard you were free, you have given me no chance to tell you of my love. Sometimes I have felt that you knew it, Dexie, and that you were not indifferent. To-day I asked your father's permission to win you, and he gave his consent."

"So I was bargained for and sold like a horse!" and her eyes flashed indignantly, "and I have nothing to say in the matter whatever! How much was I considered worth?" Then overcome by her feelings she sank down on the sofa, and hiding her face in the cushion burst into tears.

Guy was kneeling beside her in a moment, and with one arm thrown around her said tenderly,

"Dexie, you know better. You know your father loves you and would keep you beside him always if he could. But he knows that I love you dearly, and he would give me your hand if you gave me your heart. Do not try to hide it from me any longer, love. Do you not love me already?" and he bent his head beside her own. "Lift up your face and tell me, dearest."

But Dexie could not raise her eyes; she was afraid to believe the sweet words she heard. Did he really love her, after all!

"Think how long I have loved you, Dexie," he added, tenderly, "and yet you have never given me one word to encourage me, but have been so cruel--so cruel! Dexie, have you nothing to say to me after all this waiting?" and he lifted her head to his arm, saying softly, "If I wounded you to-night by my abrupt announcement, it was unintentionally. I thought you would guess my meaning; but you would not even look at me. You will believe me, Dexie, for I did not mean to vex you," he pleaded earnestly.

Still no answer; but Guy seemed to know intuitively what was in her thoughts, and she no longer shrank from him when he stroked her soft hair and drew her closer to his breast.

"Uncover your face and look at me, dearest. Did you not know that I cared for you? Tell me, Dexie."

"I did think so sometimes," was the low reply.

"Then what was the reason you were so cool with me?" smiling down into her blushing face. "Tell me, or I shall believe I know the reason already."

"If you know, why do you ask?" was the shy reply.

"Because I would like to hear you say it yourself. Confess it, now, or must I say it myself?"

She endeavored to release herself from his encircling arm, but he held her close as he whispered:

"You love me already. You know you do; so own it now."

A pair of eyes, glorious with the love-light that shone in them, were raised to his, and as he read his answer in their depths, the happy lover whispered,

"Kiss me, Dexie."

A blushing face was lifted to his, and an arm was raised till it encircled his neck, as Dexie gave her first kiss of love to the man who had won her heart.

"How could you be so cool and short with me when you loved me all the time?" he asked, as he held her in his arms.

"I was not quite sure you cared for me," was the low reply. "But I am forgetting papa. I must go and see if he is all right, Guy."

It was the first time she had used his name, and he smiled fondly into the dark eyes raised so shyly to meet his own.

"I do not want to let you go from my arms for a minute, darling. I have been longing for this hour for so long that I am afraid I shall find it all a dream if I once let you go. Will you come back to me if all is right--back to my arms, I mean?"

"Perhaps--yes, then," and she stepped softly into her father's room.

But it needed only a few minutes to assure her that he was sleeping soundly and peacefully, so she returned to her waiting lover.

"Not beside me, but here, where you promised!" and he held out his arms as she endeavored to take a seat on the sofa beside him. "I wonder how long it will be before you will make my heart glad by coming to my arms of your own accord. It is hard to believe that this is the same little girl that used to send me home with such an aching heart that I walked the floor for hours, instead of going to bed."

"Oh, Guy! I am so sorry. I never thought you cared for me like that," she whispered, as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"I wish I could tell you how much I _do_ care, my own darling! but words give so little expression to one's feelings; yet I am longing to hear just three little words from you. Don't you think it would be fair to take away the memory of your unkind words by telling me that you love me?"

"Dear Guy, you know I love you, or I would not be here! I have loved you ever since papa was hurt, but I did not want you to know it. Will that confession do?"

"I knew you cared for me, my darling! yet it is sweet to hear the admission from your own lips. And to think how long we have misunderstood each other! If I had only taken you in my arms that first night I was present when your father was so ill, and made you own to what I felt was true, these unhappy weeks might have been spared us; but it is something to have this joy in the end, my own little wife."

Dexie gave a little start of surprise at this sweet epithet, and a rosy blush spread over her face, at which Guy repeated lovingly:

"My own little wife! Is it not so, Dexie?"

"I had not thought of the future, so much has happened in such a short time," she answered, in a low voice; "but I love you, Guy, and the future shall be as you wish."

"I am glad you have no rings on to-night, Dexie," said Guy, as he took a little parcel from his pocket. "You have one that has troubled my peace of mind for some time, but I have something to take its place," and as he took her hand in his the flash of a ring told Dexie his intention.

"Oh, Guy! wait! I cannot let you put that on yet. I am afraid to trust myself that much to-night; it is all so sudden, Guy!"

"My darling! what do you fear? You are not afraid to trust yourself to my keeping when you know I love you?" and he drew her closer, as he looked down into her eyes.

"No, Guy, but it is all so new and strange that I hardly know myself. You know I accepted a ring once before when I ought not to have done so, but I wore it honestly lately, Guy; I did, truly."

"Tell me about it, Dexie, and clear up the mystery. The ring has a story, one that has given me much trouble of mind."

"I think your trouble was imaginary, Guy," smiling. "The ring, in the first place, did not signify an engagement, though it was the sign of a promise which Lancy Gurney and I made to each other. He was to ask me again to marry him at the end of a year, unless during that time we found there was someone else we liked better. As you know, I did not wait for the year to be up before I asked to be released. Oh, yes, I confessed that I had met someone that had the first place in my heart," she blushingly admitted.

"And you told him what you would not tell me! Oh, Dexie!"

"Yes, for I promised him I would be honest with him. This led to explanations on both sides, and to assure him I still felt kindly towards him I agreed to keep and wear his ring. I wore it gladly, because it reminded me I was free to love where I chose; besides it helped to keep you from guessing that I had given my love without the asking. That is all, Guy, so you see the words engraved inside are honest and true."

"My dear little wife! but how could I guess that the ring meant so much happiness to me. It did indeed deceive me, but this shall tell the truth from the start."

"I do wish you had not bought it--just yet. Everyone will make remarks about it. Something plainer would not proclaim our secret to the world as this will surely do."

"Yet I thought it not good enough for the dear hand that was to wear it. Let me put it on, Dexie. Think how many times I shall see you when there will be no chance to say a word to you, but when I see the ring I can say, 'She is mine! mine!' How sweet to know that it is so!" and he kissed her hand as he slipped the ring on her finger.

"Mine now, dearest; yet you seemed so far away from me only a few hours ago. How surprised your father will be! I wish he could see you here in my arms."

"Oh, hush! that would be dreadful! Was he surprised this afternoon at your errand? I thought it was you who left those papers; but when you announced your coming marriage this evening, then I began to doubt," and she laughed softly.

"It was a surprise at first, but he consented at last to give me his treasure--if I could get her."

"Poor papa, I will never leave him. No one else seems to have time to be with him or amuse him as I can, and it is hard for him to feel so helpless when he has such a restless and energetic disposition."

"I promised not to take you away while he needed you; but, dearest--I do not want to alarm you--I do not think he will have to bear his pain many weeks longer. He is failing, I can see, and he told me to-day that he felt his strength going fast."

"I know it is so, though I have tried to put the thought aside. Dear papa, how good he has been to me! What news this will be to him! But I hope no one else will find it out--just yet. Everything must go on much as usual, before others anyway," smiling into his happy face.

"That will be very hard, don't you think, little wife? How shall I be able to hide my love from Gussie?"

"Oh! you will be coming here after this just to see papa, you know," looking at him archly, "and I fancy she will find little to interest her in the man that has so openly announced his approaching marriage to a lady who is unknown. I'll not object, perhaps, to let you stay--with papa, you know--on the nights that I take my turn to sit up with him. But there is his bell, and oh! Guy, look at the clock!"

Dexie's heart beat fast as she hurried to her father's room, but she was needlessly alarmed. His unusual sleep had renewed his strength, but Dexie, fearing the worst, asked anxiously:

"Are you in much pain, dear papa?"

"Oh! no, child; I feel first-rate. I guess that bad spell I had at bedtime is going to do me for to-night; but I am thirsty, so when you get me fixed up you can go to bed. You must be tired to death, my dear girl," he added, as Dexie busied herself about him. "What time is it? Not past two, surely? Why, I must be turning over a new leaf, eh, Dexie?"

Guy Traverse stepped to the door as Dexie entered the room, fearing also that Mr. Sherwood was worse, but hearing his cheerful voice he thought he would surprise him by showing himself, and he stepped to the bedside, his hands clasped behind him, and a curious smile played over his face as he waited.

"Bless my soul! Traverse, what are you doing here at this time of night?" was the astonished remark as Mr. Sherwood turned and saw who was beside him.

Traverse laughed pleasantly and drew a chair to the bedside.

"I have been waiting in the next room, fearing you might be ill again at your usual hour and would need my services."

"And a sorry night you have had of it, I expect. Well, you don't seem much the worse of it, after all," and he turned and looked curiously towards Dexie.

"What mischief have you been up to now, Dexie, that you look so guilty? Come here to me directly!"

"Are you going to scold me, papa?" and she stooped over and kissed him.

"I would like to find out first if you deserve it. I hope you have not been quarrelling with Traverse, after what I said to you?"

"Well, not all the time," she blushingly answered. "He would not go home at the proper time, though I tried to turn him out of the house."

"I see! Then it was the first part of the night you did not agree. And what, may I ask, have you been doing since the row was settled? Out with it now," holding her face between his two hands and looking into her eyes.

"Dear papa, that is not fair," as she tried to hide her face in his arms.

Mr. Sherwood felt sure that Guy had come to some understanding with her, and wanted to make her own it, but Guy knew she would not care to be the first to speak of it, so said in a happy voice:

"Give me a chance to tell a part of the story, Mr. Sherwood. Dexie has made me a happy man at last. You will not care to hear all the particulars just now, but she has promised to be my wife."

"Is this really true, Dexie?" looking with loving eyes at his daughter.

Dexie raised her hand, saying softly:

"See, papa," and the flashing ring answered the question.

"Well, well; I can hardly believe it yet. Go and kiss him, Dexie, right before me, if it is really true; seeing is believing, you know."

Guy looked at her smilingly, saying, as he held out his hands, "Come, Dexie."

Dexie put one hand in his, and laying the other across his shoulder bent over and kissed him; and she made no resistance when he put one arm around her and drew her down on his knee.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise, I'm sure. You have made good use of the time, Traverse," and Mr. Sherwood laughed softly. "You have been rather a perverse young lady, Dexie, but you have fallen into good hands at last. You must not leave me yet, dear child, for what should I do without my little nurse? But, bless my heart! there's three o'clock. You will not get into your hotel at this hour, Traverse, but I expect you would not sleep much if you did, so go back into the sitting-room, the both of you, and finish the night!"

"Thank you, Mr. Sherwood; your liberty adds much to the pleasure. I hope we have not tired you," he added, as he rose from his seat.

"Not at all! Another drink, Dexie, and be off with you!"

"Don't tell on us, papa," she whispered, as she prepared his drink. "Jarvis is sure to sleep till I awaken her, and this is not likely to happen again," laughing.

"Well, better make the most of it, then; so be off with your lover," and he waved her away from his side.

"It was not so dreadful, after all, to come to my arms before your father, was it?" Guy asked, a few minutes later. "I am sure it pleased him to see it, and it was good of him to allow me a little longer bliss."

But time passed swiftly, as it always does with happy lovers, and the grey dawn of early morning warned them that they must separate. As they stood by the window, watching the first rays of light in the east, Dexie said:

"I will have to send you away soon, Guy, or you will be discovered; but I am going to invite you to an early breakfast here with me before you go."

"Never mind breakfast, dearest; I would rather have you here by my side until the last minute. I expect some machinery by the early train, so I think I will go down and see if it has arrived; that will give us forty minutes more together," taking out his watch.

"Then a part of the time will be well spent in preparing you a slight refreshment--nothing elaborate, you know, or Eliza would pounce down on me at the first sound," and she left him at the window, and hurried to the kitchen.

A few minutes later she appeared again, looking as fresh as the morning, with a white ruffled apron clasped round her waist and a dainty muslin cap perched on her head, from beneath which stray curls peeped bewitchingly out, and passing her hand through Guy's arm, said laughingly:

"Will you mind coming to the kitchen, Guy? I am afraid someone will hear us if I take you anywhere else, and I don't want the rattle of dishes to betray us."

"Well, this is enough to make any fellow selfish," as he followed Dexie out to the kitchen, and closed the door softly behind him. "You must be a fairy, to conjure such a dainty breakfast in this short time. No one will hear us here."

The appetizing odor of coffee filled the air, and the most fastidious person could have found no fault with the dainty little table and its appointments, with plates laid for two.

"Now, you really must be quiet, Guy," trying to escape from his arms. "Just see how you have mussed my hair!"

"And you haven't mussed mine at all, I suppose! I say, Dexie, what if Gussie should catch us here?" "Which, fortunately, is not likely; but what _would_ she say? The impropriety of our conduct would be shocking," and a musical laugh sounded through the room.

"I should plead extenuating circumstances, dearest. One does not have the delightful experience of last night but once in a lifetime, and why should we not make the most of our pleasures? However, I can thank your father for this extended bliss."

"The extended bliss of eating in the kitchen!" and she smiled mischievously, as she handed him a cup of coffee. "Is this your first peep into my domain?"

"Yes, and I think it the pleasantest room in the house. Who planned it, and invented such contrivances?" glancing approvingly at the adjustable shelves which Dexie disclosed by shoving aside what appeared to be a panel in the wall. "We must have our kitchen just like this."

Ignoring his last remark, except by a blush, Dexie answered:

"I have to thank papa for the liberty I enjoy in this room; but for him I should have had the usual bare walls and no conveniences whatever. If you had seen all the newspaper articles I read up, giving the experience of practical housekeepers, you would not wonder at the change which, with the help of a carpenter, I made in this room. I am monarch of all I survey in this part of the house, as mamma does not care how many experiments go on here as long as everything is satisfactory that comes out of it."

All pleasant things come to an end, and the early breakfast in the kitchen was no exception to the rule; but it remained a bright spot in the memory of both, and in after-years was often referred to.

A few minutes later Guy left the house, and, for the first time, he left it contented and happy, the sweet "Good-bye" in the hall being in strong contrast to the usual curt dismissal that had fallen to his lot hitherto when Dexie showed him out.