第120章

“Themasterwantsyou，ma’am，downstairs。“

Sheroseinstantlyandputawaythelittlebook。

“Isthatallthemessage？“sheasked，openingthedoor。

“Yes，ma’am。“

Shefollowedthegirldownstairs；recallingtohermemorythestrangewordsaddressedtoherbyGeoffrey，inthepresenceoftheservants，ontheeveningbefore。Wasshenowtoknowwhatthosewordsreallymeant？Thedoubtwouldsoonbesetatrest。

“Bethetrialwhatitmay，“shethoughttoherself，“letmebearitasmymotherwouldhaveborneit。“

Theservantopenedthedoorofthedining-room。Breakfastwasonthetable。Geoffreywasstandingatthewindow。HesterDethridgewaswaiting，postednearthedoor。Hecameforward——withthenearestapproachtogentlenessinhismannerwhichshehadeveryetseeninit——hecameforward，withasetsmileonhislips，andofferedherhishand!

Shehadenteredtheroom，prepared(asshebelieved)foranythingthatcouldhappen。Shewasnotpreparedforthis。Shestoodspeechless，lookingathim。

Afteroneglanceather，whenshecamein，HesterDethridgelookedathim，too——andfromthatmomentneverlookedawayagain，aslongasAnneremainedintheroom。

Hebrokethesilence——inavoicethatwasnotlikehisown；withafurtiverestraintinhismannerwhichshehadnevernoticedinitbefore。

“Won’tyoushakehandswithyourhusband，“heasked，“whenyourhusbandasksyou？“

Shemechanicallyputherhandinhis。Hedroppeditinstantly，withastart。“God!howcold!“heexclaimed。Hisownhandwasburninghot，andshookincessantly。

Hepointedtoachairattheheadofthetable。

“Willyoumakethetea？“heasked。

Shehadgivenhimherhandmechanically；sheadvancedastepmechanically——andthenstopped。

“Wouldyoupreferbreakfastingbyyourself？“hesaid。

“Ifyouplease，“sheanswered，faintly。

“Waitaminute。Ihavesomethingtosaybeforeyougo。“

Shewaited。Heconsideredwithhimself；consultinghismemory——visibly，unmistakably，consultingitbeforehespokeagain。

“Ihavehadthenighttothinkin，“hesaid。“Thenighthasmadeanewmanofme。IbegyourpardonforwhatIsaidyesterday。I

wasnotmyselfyesterday。Italkednonsenseyesterday。Pleasetoforgetit，andforgiveit。Iwishtoturnoveranewleaf。andmakeamends——makeamendsformypastconduct。Itshallbemyendeavortobeagoodhusband。InthepresenceofMrs。Dethridge，Irequestyoutogivemeachance。Iwon’tforceyourinclinations。Wearemarried——what’stheuseofregrettingit？Stayhere，asyousaidyesterday，onyourownterms。Iwishtomakeitup。

InthepresenceofMrs。Dethridge，IsayIwishtomakeitup。I

won’tdetainyou。Irequestyoutothinkofit。Good-morning。“

Hesaidthoseextraordinarywordslikeaslowboysayingahardlesson——hiseyesontheground，hisfingersre