My love
is holding you up."
She heard the laugh in his voice, and her panic died. Mutely she yielded
herself to him. By the strength of his will alone, she left the abyss
behind. But when he lifted her from the parapet back to safety, she cried
out as one whom fear catches by the throat, and fainted in his arms.
* * * * *
Out of a great darkness, the light dawned again for Toby. She opened her
eyes gasping to find that the scene had changed. She was lying upon
tiger-skins 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.
Pages:
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447