Part 49 (1/2)
”I shall like to see hiy”
”I will tell him,” Lady Lescelles said ”And now let us leave the hted to see you all here,” Anna said s upon them from behind the tea-tray, ”but I shall have to ask you to excuse ht his contract for ive you all some tea, and then I must leave you for a few minutes”
The three men, who had arrived within a minute or two of one another, received her little speech in dead silence Ennison, who had been standing with his back to the , came suddenly a little further into the room
”Miss Pellissier,” he said, ”I ca particularly to see you for a few ned that contract”
She shook her head
”We may just as well have our talk afterwards,” she said, ”and I need not keep poor Mr Earles waiting”
Courtlaw suddenly interposed
”May I be allowed to say,” he declared, ”that I came here with the same intention”
”And I also,” Brendon echoed
Anna was suddenly very quiet
She was perhaps as near tears as ever before in her life
”If I had three hands,” she said, with a faint sive one to each of you I know that you are all ive rateful person No, don't let rateful, indeed I am But on this matter my mind is quite made up”
Ennison hesitated for a entlemen are your friends, and therefore they are my friends If I am to have no other opportunity I will speak before then that contract I ca h I have asked before in vain, have co”
”And I,” Brendon said, huh I am afraid there is no chance for me, my errand was the same”
Anna looked at them for a moment with a pitiful attempt at a smile
Then her head disappeared suddenly in her hands, and her shoulders shook violently
”Please forgive ht directly”
Brendon rushed to the piano and strummed out a tune
The others hurried to theAnd Anna was conscious of a few moments of exquisite emotion After all, life had still its pulsations The joy of being loved thrilled her as nothing before had ever done, a curious abstract joy which had nothing in it at that ret or even pity
She called theone, but soe seeh, but there was a new timidity in her oing to make the same answer to all of you--and that is perhaps you will say no answer at all At present I cannot marry, I will not become bound even to any one It would be very hard perhaps to make you understand just how I feel about it I won't try Only I feel that you all want to ht er If any of you--or all of you feel the same in six months' time from to-day, will you come, if you care to, and see me then?”
There was a brief silence Ennison spoke at last
”You will sign the contract?”