He was as completely absorbed in the one act of looking
at her as if they had been still alone together in the room.
Lady Janet was the first of the three who spoke. She addressed
herself to her nephew.
"You were right, Mr. Julian Gray," she said, with her bitterest
emphasis of tone and manner. "You ought to have found nobody in
this room on your return but _me_. I detain you no longer. You
are free to leave my house."
Julian looked round at his aunt. She was pointing to the door. In
the excited state of his sensibilities at that moment the action
stung him to the quick. He answered without his customary
consideration for his aunt's age and his aunt's position toward
him.
"You apparently forget, Lady Janet, that you are not speaking to
one of your footmen," he said. "There are serious reasons (of
which you know nothing) for my remaining in your house a little
longer. You may rely upon my trespassing on your hospitality as
short a time as possible."
He turned again to Mercy as he said those words, and surprised
her timidly looking up at him. In the instant when their eyes
met, the tumult of emotions struggling in him became suddenly
stilled.
Pages:
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252