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Page 92
He put her in the winged chair, drew the white shawl closely about her
shoulders, dropped upon one knee by her side, and, taking possession once
more of her hand, spoke low and decidedly:
"I will go over to the Macauleys and send Mrs. Macauley to you. Then Mr.
Macauley and I will take everything in charge--with your permission?"
He waited for her assent. She gave it with closed eyes, her head tilted
back against the wing of the chair, her lips pressed tight together that
they might not tremble.
"You will want to take her to Washington, or on to South Carolina?"
"South Carolina--where she was born."
"We shall not be able to start till the storm is over. There is no train
or trolley service out from the city to-night, and there will not be
until the wind and drifting stops. My train was ten hours late. I should
have been here this morning. Meanwhile, I will stay just where you want
me. You and Mrs. Macauley can settle that. I wish for your sake Mrs.
Burns were here--and Red."
"They are not here? Then--how did you come to--"
"Come home before them? I couldn't stay away contentedly as long as they.
I had had an all-summer's vacation, and wanted to be at work. But I came
from the ship straight up here, to satisfy myself that all was well with
you. I found you--needing me. Can I help being thankful that I came?"
"Dr. Leaver--?"
"Yes?"
Charlotte sat up suddenly, opening her eyes, pressing her free hand again
over her heart with that unconscious gesture as old as suffering.
"If I had not insisted on keeping Granny here she would not have--would
not have--"
She sank back, covering her face.
"What had her being here to do with it? You took every care of her. She
was old--ripe--ready to go. The wonder is that she has lived so long,
with such a frail hold on life."
"But--she had an exposure. This dreadful weather--night before last--her
window blew in--she was chilled--"
Her voice broke. With difficulty she told him the story of the
experience. He lifted her hand to his lips and held it there. After
a minute he spoke very gently:
"I doubt if that had anything to do with it. It was probably the crash of
the window blowing in that woke you, although you did not know it; she
may not have lain there but a moment. You overcame the slight chill, if
there was one, with your prompt measures. You brought her downstairs,
and carried her back. There was no strain whatever upon her, it was all
upon you. Dr. Burns has told me that her heart-action was the weakest and
most irregular he had encountered; that, at any hour, without seeming
provocation, it might stop. Why should you mourn? It was a happy way to
go--merely to stop breathing, as her attitude and expression show she
did. Her hour had come--you had nothing to do with it. Take that to your
heart, and don't blame yourself for one moment more."
She lay back in the chair again, relaxing a little under the firm words.
"Shall I go now and send Mrs. Macauley? It is nearly ten o'clock, time we
were letting them know. But before I go let me tell you one thing, then I
will say no more to-night. There is no more now to come between us than
there was a year ago when--listen, Charlotte--we knew--we both knew--that
we belonged to each other, and nothing waited but the spoken word. I dare
to say this to you, for I am sure, in my inmost soul, that you know as
well as I do where we stood at that time. And--the thing is gone which
came between us afterward."
He stood up, put on his coat, said quietly: "You shall be alone but a
very short time," and went out.
Left alone Charlotte laid both arms suddenly down upon the arm of the
chair--Granny's chair--and broke into a passion of weeping. It lasted
only for a little while, then she raised herself suddenly, threw back her
head, lifted both arms high--it was an old gesture of hers when she was
commanding her own self-control--gripping the clenched fists tight. Then,
as steps and the sound of voices were heard outside, she stood up,
holding herself quietly.
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