Rhoda Fleming -- Volume 4

f him who stood in the street below was written on her sister's fac

on't speak. I know. I will go down. Yes;

arned not to cry, she uttered a faint inward wailing

id supplicatingly, as Rho

quiet. Trust everything

-strings under her chin, and pinned her shawl. A night's vigil had not chased the bloom from her cheek, or the swimming lustre from her dark eyes. Content that her aspect should be seemly, she ran down the stairs, unfastened the bolts, and

a Fleming, lives

you are

me is

not give you pleasure

rned late last n

house, and he silently followed. The streets were empty, save f

e said, "I hope yo

s quit

r that! I heard

quite r

I sent two days ago, to her? It was addressed to 'Mis

not se

e," sai

equable manner of speech: to the effect, that the true English yeomanry can breed consummate women. Perhaps-who knows? even resolute human nature is the stronger for an added knot-it app

e, do you n

e answere

to see

can

s risen later in the morning. If she has rec

r; not at all

all? W

r blood for a vehement reply; sayi

ild, I

ild, and I say

hat it is her wish not to see me? You can't. I

and confronting him in a way so rarely distinguishing girls of h

used to talk of you so often! You

plain it, and I don't excuse myself. I state the fact to you- her sister. My

ill

articularl

ing herself R

to the utmost of my power. Surely it's mere silly vindictiveness on your part to seek to thwart me. Go to her; say I am here. At all

you are here; sh

n his breath sharply. "Well?

was strongly tempted to be

u to speak to me,

s that I

not take one

e no messag

e me, do

ent shock of her heart to giv

and me. I will see her. When I determine, I allow of no obstacles, not

asculine meanin

before him, I

orty hours, you would understand that I am equal to any meeting; though, to speak truth, I would rather not see him

coming from his mouth, van

, seeing the ripple of

she was. Be so good as to go. She will soon be out of your reach. You will have to kill me first, if you get near her. Never! you never shall. You have lied to herbroug

that he saw an opponent in her, that she should waste her concentrated antagonism in thi

Rhoda, sh

t her pray to Go

, like a bristling cat. Here are the streets getting full of people, and you ought not to be seen. Go to Dahlia. Tell her I am here.

e out, if it did you

ard, and observed: "Then I will

pped him. They reached the gates together. She threw herself

at moment Robert appeared round a corner of the street. He made his voice heard, and, coming up at double quick, caught Ed

diately the tactics desired by Rhoda, requested

as a formula wherewith to regain composure of min

s mean?" said

d sickened him, and irritated him against Dahlia, and instigated him, as he remembered well, more than Mr

acy to do her mischief,

bert, "it'd be a base creature that w

a's neighbourhood with evil intentions at this moment, though it was a thin

cknowledge that I have done you personally a wrong. I am ready to bear the burden of your reproaches, or what yo

a reasonable request;" and, in spite of her angry e

ample the man, and so break away from him. She was outraged to see Robert's listening posture. "Lies! lies!" she said to herself, "and he doesn't know them to be lies." The window-blinds in Dahlia's sitting-room con

she murmured, inaud

rs within the last two or three days. He seems to love her, and to be heartily wretched. Just hear me out; you'll decide; but pray, pray don't be rash. He wishes to marry her; says he has spoken to his father this very night; came straight over from France, after he had read her letters. He says-and it seems fair-he only asks to see Dahlia for two minutes. If she bids him go, he goes. He's not a friend of mine, as I could prove to you; but I do think he ought to see her. He says he looks on her as his w

ning face. "You don't see what he is,

marriage overmuch, Rhoda. Perhaps he may think differently when he comes to hear of things. As to Mr. Blancove, men change and change when they're you

f money to be paid had sickened and weakened her

waved the thought of his claim on her sister aside with a quick shake of her head. "I rely on you to do this:-I will speak to Mr. Blancove myself. He shall not see her there." She indicated the house. "Go to my sister; and

. The servant girl of the house had just opened the front door,