第74章

“I’mnotfittobeseen，“shesaid。“I’msoagitated，Idon’tknowwhattodo。Comeindoors，Geoffrey——andhaveacupoftea。“

Geoffreyshookhishead。“Perryforbidstea，“hesaid，“inthemiddleoftheday。“

“Youbrute!“criedMrs。Glenarm。

“Doyouwantmetolosetherace？“retortedGeoffrey。

“Yes!“

Withthatanswershelefthimatlast，andranbackintothehouse。

Geoffreytookaturnontheterrace——consideredalittle——stopped——andlookedattheporchunderwhichtheiratewidowhaddisappearedfromhisview。“Tenthousandayear，“hesaid，thinkingofthematrimonialprospectwhichhewasplacinginperil。“Anddevilishwellearned，“headded，goingintothehouse，underprotest，toappeaseMrs。Glenarm。

Theoffendedladywasonasofa，inthesolitarydrawing-room。

Geoffreysatdownbyher。Shedeclinedtolookathim。“Don’tbeafool!“saidGeoffrey，inhismostpersuasivemanner。Mrs。

Glenarmputherhandkerchieftohereyes。Geoffreytookitawayagainwithoutceremony。Mrs。Glenarmrosetoleavetheroom。

Geoffreystoppedherbymainforce。Mrs。Glenarmthreatenedtosummontheservants。Geoffreysaid，“Allright!Idon’tcareifthewholehouseknowsI’mfondofyou!“Mrs。Glenarmlookedatthedoor，andwhispered“Hush!forHeaven’ssake!“Geoffreyputherarminhis，andsaid，“Comealongwithme：I’vegotsomethingtosaytoyou。“Mrs。Glenarmdrewback，andshookherhead。

Geoffreyputhisarmroundherwaist，andwalkedheroutoftheroom，andoutofthehouse——takingthedirection，notoftheterrace，butofafirplantationontheoppositesideofthegrounds。Arrivedamongthetrees，hestoppedandheldupawarningforefingerbeforetheoffendedlady’sface。“You’rejustthesortofwomanIlike，“hesaid；“andthereain’tamanlivingwho’shalfassweetonyouasIam。YouleaveoffbullyingmeaboutPerry，andI’lltellyouwhatI’lldo——I’llletyouseemetakeaSprint。“

Hedrewbackastep，andfixedhisbigblueeyesonher，withalookwhichsaid，“Youareahighly-favoredwoman，ifevertherewasoneyet!“CuriosityinstantlytooktheleadingplaceamongtheemotionsofMrs。Glenarm。“What’saSprint，Geoffrey？“sheasked。

“Ashortrun，totrymeatthetopofmyspeed。Thereain’tanotherlivingsoulinallEnglandthatI’dletseeitbutyou。

_Now_amIabrute？“

Mrs。Glenarmwasconqueredagain，forthehundredthtimeatleast。Shesaid，softly，“Oh，Geoffrey，ifyoucouldonlybealwayslikethis!“Hereyesliftedthemselvesadmiringlytohis。

Shetookhisarmagainofherownaccord，andpresseditwithalovingclasp。Geoffreypropheticallyfeltthetenthousandayearinhispocket。“Doyoureallyloveme？“whisperedMrs。Glenarm。

“Don’tI!“answeredthehero。Thepeacewasmade，andthetwowalkedonagain。

Theypassedthroughtheplantation，andcameoutonsomeopenground，risingandfallingprettily，inlittlehillocksandhollows。Thelastofthehillocksslopeddownintoasmoothlevelpla