And you know you mustn't mind if, just at first, Madame de Chantelle occasionally relapses."She spoke eagerly, persuasively, almost on a note of pleading.She had, in truth, so many reasons for wanting Sophy to like her: her love for Owen, her solicitude for Effie, and her own sense of the girl's fine mettle.She had always felt a romantic and almost humble admiration for those members of her sex who, from force of will, or the constraint of circumstances, had plunged into the conflict from which fate had so persistently excluded her.There were even moments when she fancied herself vaguely to blame for her immunity, and felt that she ought somehow to have affronted the perils and hardships which refused to come to her.And now, as she sat looking at Sophy Viner, so small, so slight, so visibly defenceless and undone, she still felt, through all the superiority of her worldly advantages and her seeming maturity, the same odd sense of ignorance and inexperience.She could not have said what there was in the girl's manner and expression to give her this feeling, but she was reminded, as she looked at Sophy Viner, of the other girls she had known in her youth, the girls who seemed possessed of a secret she had missed.Yes, Sophy Viner had their look--almost the obscurely menacing look of Kitty Mayne...Anna, with an inward smile, brushed aside the image of this forgotten rival.But she had felt, deep down, a twinge of the old pain, and she was sorry that, even for the flash of a thought, Owen's betrothed should have reminded her of so different a woman...
She laid her hand on the girl's."When his grandmother sees how happy Owen is she'll be quite happy herself.If it's only that, don't be distressed.Just trust to Owen--and the future."Sophy Viner, with an almost imperceptible recoil of her whole slight person, had drawn her hand from under the palm enclosing it.
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about--the future.""Of course! We've all so many plans to make--and to fit into each other's.Please let's begin with yours."The girl paused a moment, her hands clasped on the arms of her chair, her lids dropped under Anna's gaze; then she said: "I should like to make no plans at all...just yet...""No plans?"
"No--I should like to go away...my friends the Farlows would let me go to them..." Her voice grew firmer and she lifted her eyes to add: "I should like to leave today, if you don't mind."Anna listened with a rising wonder.
"You want to leave Givre at once?" She gave the idea a moment's swift consideration."You prefer to be with your friends till your marriage? I understand that--but surely you needn't rush off today? There are so many details to discuss; and before long, you know, I shall be going away too.""Yes, I know." The girl was evidently trying to steady her voice."But I should like to wait a few days--to have a little more time to myself."Anna continued to consider her kindly.It was evident that she did not care to say why she wished to leave Givre so suddenly, but her disturbed face and shaken voice betrayed a more pressing motive than the natural desire to spend the weeks before her marriage under her old friends' roof.
Since she had made no response to the allusion to Madame de Chantelle, Anna could but conjecture that she had had a passing disagreement with Owen; and if this were so, random interference might do more harm than good.
"My dear child, if you really want to go at once I sha'n't, of course, urge you to stay.I suppose you have spoken to Owen?""No.Not yet..."
Anna threw an astonished glance at her."You mean to say you haven't told him?""I wanted to tell you first.I thought I ought to, on account of Effie." Her look cleared as she put forth this reason.
"Oh, Effie!--" Anna's smile brushed away the scruple."Owen has a right to ask that you should consider him before you think of his sister...Of course you shall do just as you wish," she went on, after another thoughtful interval.
"Oh, thank you," Sophy Viner murmured and rose to her feet.
Anna rose also, vaguely seeking for some word that should break down the girl's resistance."You'll tell Owen at once?" she finally asked.
Miss Viner, instead of replying, stood before her in manifest uncertainty, and as she did so there was a light tap on the door, and Owen Leath walked into the room.
Anna's first glance told her that his face was unclouded.
He met her greeting with his happiest smile and turned to lift Sophy's hand to his lips.The perception that he was utterly unconscious of any cause for Miss Viner's agitation came to his step-mother with a sharp thrill of surprise.
"Darrow's looking for you," he said to her."He asked me to remind you that you'd promised to go for a walk with him."Anna glanced at the clock."I'll go down presently." She waited and looked again at Sophy Viner, whose troubled eyes seemed to commit their message to her."You'd better tell Owen, my dear."Owen's look also turned on the girl."Tell me what? Why, what's happened?"Anna summoned a laugh to ease the vague tension of the moment."Don't look so startled! Nothing, except that Sophy proposes to desert us for a while for the Farlows."Owen's brow cleared."I was afraid she'd run off before long." He glanced at Anna."Do please keep her here as long as you can!"Sophy intervened: "Mrs.Leath's already given me leave to go.""Already? To go when?"
"Today," said Sophy in a low tone, her eyes on Anna's.
"Today? Why on earth should you go today?" Owen dropped back a step or two, flushing and paling under his bewildered frown.His eyes seemed to search the girl more closely.
"Something's happened." He too looked at his step-mother.
"I suppose she must have told you what it is?"Anna was struck by the suddenness and vehemence of his appeal.It was as though some smouldering apprehension had lain close under the surface of his security.
