Chapter 16

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_ CHAPTER XVI With a scornful toss of her head, Iris wheeled about. She would not enter the room, though she was just dying to know what they were saying--as Kendal sat in the arm-chair before the glowing coals, while Dorothy knelt on the hassock at his feet. But that one glance of Iris had proved fatal to Kendal's peace of mind, and the hope swept over his soul that she would not think that he was talking love to Dorothy. His silence perplexed the girl kneeling at his feet. "I try to picture what our future life will be together, Harry," she murmured. "Don't let us talk about it!" he exclaimed, impatiently. "But I like to," she insisted. "It is my constant thought by night and by day. And, oh! I shall try to make you so happy. I shall go out dining with you every day, if you like, and I will always wear a little veil over my face, that no one need know as they pass us by that your bride is blind. And I shall try to be so wise, and learn to talk with you upon the subjects you love best. You will not be ashamed of me, will you, Harry?" This with wistful eagerness pitiful to behold. "I do wish, Dorothy, that you would cease your harping on the same old subject!" he cried, worriedly. "You annoy me so!" "Annoy you?" whispered Dorothy, half under her breath. "Why, I did not know that we could say anything to those we love which could make them vexed at us, because I thought we were: "'Two souls with but a single thought, Two hearts that beat as one.' It seems, Harry, as though we had so little time to talk with each other now. And, oh! how I miss those little chats we used to have together; don't you?" "You talk like a child, Dorothy," he cried. "Do you expect me to be dancing attendance upon you all the time?" "No; I have ceased to expect that," murmured the girl, choking back a sob--"especially lately." "I hope," he cried, "that you are not getting to be one of those exacting creatures who are jealous if a man is not at their side every moment? I could never endure that." With a sudden impulse, Dorothy threw her arms about his neck and nestled her snow-white cheek against his. "Let me tell you the truth, Harry," she whispered. "I am trying not to be jealous, as hard as ever I can; but, oh! there seems such a coldness between us lately. My intuition--my heart tells me so. Everything has changed since Iris came," she repeated. "I am glad you have some one to go with you on your rambles, as I used to do--some one to walk and read with you, as I once did. But when I think of it, and picture you two together, and know that she takes the same place by your side that I was wont to take, can you wonder that my heart throbs with a slow, dull pain?" "Women magnify everything!" cried Kendal, harshly. "I suppose you will begrudge me a moment's comfort where another young girl is concerned, because you can not participate in it." "I wonder that you can find comfort, as you phrase it, with another," said Dorothy, with a little tremor in her voice. "I have never heard that any other society was satisfying to an engaged lover than that of the sweetheart whom he avers to love." Kendal laughed a little low, tantalizing laugh which grated keenly on the girl's ears. "Men differ in their tastes and inclinations," he retorted laconically. "I do not choose to be tied down and governed by one woman's whims, nor to be dictated to." "You should not speak of it in that way, Harry," whispered the girl in a choking voice; "rather, you should say to yourself that you would not do the slightest thing that might cause me one pang of annoyance. He who truly loves finds no interest, no attraction but in the one face, the one presence. I have known many betrothed young men, and I never yet knew one who paid the girl he loved so little courtesy as to flirt, ever so slightly, with another." She could not see the flush that burned his face, for he knew that every word she uttered was but too true. He felt guilty in her sweet, innocent presence. Had he but loved her, he would have found no pleasure whatever in Iris Vincent's dangerous coquetries. He would not have encouraged her by smile, word, or deed. A wave of pity swept over his heart for Dorothy as he looked down into the pure, uplifted face. But it was only short-lived, for at that instant he heard Iris' silvery laughter from an adjoining room. "I propose that we finish this interesting subject at some future time," he said, carelessly. "I have some important letters to write, and if you will excuse me for a little while, I should be very glad." Sorrowfully Dorothy rose from the hassock and slowly quitted the room. With lagging steps she made her way to her own room, her heart as heavy as lead in her bosom. She had entered the library with buoyant steps and a light heart; aye, even a little snatch of song on her lips, for she had made up her mind that she would wait there until Harry came and have a good talk with him. She had been so sure that he would take her in his arms and soothe away her fears, laughing at them in his own way as being the most ridiculous fancies which her sensitive little brain had conjured up. And ah! how different had been the reality. He had rudely repulsed her--and she his promised wife! Katy noticed how gloomy she was, and ran quickly to her young mistress' side. "Oh, Miss Dorothy," she cried, "you do look so pale. Let me place you in a chair and bring you some wine." Dorothy shook her head. "I am not ill, Katy," she said, wearily, "only I--I have a slight headache. If you will leave me by myself I will take a short rest if I can, then I shall be all right." But Katy insisted upon bringing her a cordial, if not the wine, and surely she was forgiven for putting a few drops of a sleeping potion in the glass ere she handed it to her mistress. She well knew that she had not slept soundly for some time past. Surely she was breaking down slowly from some terrible mental strain. She realized but too well what that mental strain was. Dorothy allowed her to lead her passively to the sofa, and to deposit her among the cushions. "You will ring when you want me, Miss Dorothy," she said, placing a table with a bell on it close by her side. "Yes," said Dorothy, wearily. "Now go and leave me, that's a good girl;" and Katy passed into the next apartment, drawing the curtains softly behind her. There she sat down and waited until her mistress should fall asleep. It almost made the girl's heart bleed to hear the great sighs that broke from Dorothy's lips. "Poor soul! poor soul!" she cried; "how unhappy she is!" But soon the potion began to take effect, and the sighs soon melted into deep, irregular breathing, and then Katy knew that she slept. An hour passed, and yet another, still she did not waken, though there were loud sounds of mirth and revelry in the drawing-room beneath. The maid recognized Iris' voice and that of Harry Kendal. "The grand rascal!" muttered the girl; "how I feel like choking that man! He doesn't care any more for that poor blind girl in there, that he's engaged to, than the dust which sticks to his patent leather shoes. I believe the truth is slowly beginning to dawn upon her." At that moment she heard Dorothy's voice calling her, and she went quickly to her side. "Oh, how long have I slept, Katy?" she cried. "An hour or such a matter," responded the girl. "They have all been to dinner, but I thought sleep would be better for you." "How long since?" cried Dorothy, springing from the sofa. "And did they not send up for me?" asking both questions in a breath, and waiting with feverish impatience for an answer. "No," said the girl, bluntly. "Did they forget me?" whispered Dorothy, in a voice so hollow that the tone frightened the little maid. "It looks very much like it, Miss Dorothy," she answered; "but I did not forget you; I brought you up a whole trayful of things." "I can not eat," sighed Dorothy, and she murmured under her breath: "Yes, they forgot me--forgot me! Come here, my good girl," she went on, very nervously; "there is something I want you to do for me." Katy came close to her side. Dorothy reached out her hand and caught the girl's arm in her trembling grasp. "I want you to slip down quietly, Katy," she said--"mind, very quietly--and see what they are doing down in the drawing-room. I hear Mr. Kendal's voice and Miss Vincent's. Take notice if Mrs. Kemp is with them, or if they are alone." "Are you going down to-night, Miss Dorothy?" asked Katy. "If it isn't too late," she answered, in a tremulous voice, adding: "I want you to lay out the prettiest dress I have, and some nice ribbon for my hair, before you go. I can be dressing while you are gone; it will save that much time." Katy did as she was bid, and a few moments later was creeping noiselessly down the back stairway, which led to the drawing-room. Drawing the heavy silken portières aside, she peered cautiously in. As she expected, Mr. Kendal and Miss Vincent were enjoying each other's society, quite alone. But that was not the worst of it. _

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