The man's face was quiet, and his heart was in no haste, though he was
so glad. He drew her toward him, as he had often done, and she seemed
light and little in his hands. But when he would have kissed her cheek
as in other times, she turned in his hold like a bow that is bent but
not strung, and straightened herself again quickly; and something
tingled in him suddenly, and he tried hard to kiss her; yet when he saw
that he must hurt her, he let her go, and laughed oddly. Her blush
deepened to red and then faded all at once, and she turned her face
away.
"How is it that I have never found you before now?" Gilbert asked
softly. "Were you with the Queen at Vezelay? Have you been with her on
all the march?"
"Yes."
"And did you not know that I was with the army?"
"Yes; but I could not send you any word. She would not let me." The
girl looked round quickly in sudden apprehension. "If she should find
you here, it would be ill for you," she added, with a gesture of
pushing him away.
But he showed that he would not go away.
"The Queen has always been kind to me," he said. "I am not afraid."
Beatrix would not turn to him, and was silent. He was not timid, but
words did not come easily just then; therefore, manlike, he tried to
draw her to him again. But she put away his hand somewhat impatiently
and shook her head, whereat he felt the tingling warmth in his blood
again. Then he remembered how he had felt the same thing on that night
in Vezelay, when the Queen had pressed his arm unexpectedly, and once
before, when she had kissed him in the tennis-court, and he was angry
with himself.
Pages:
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191