miss billy-第31节

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twenty…one！

And　then　he　looked　at　Billy。　　The　girl　was　plainly　nervous。　　There
was　a　deep　flush　on　her　cheeks　and　a　brilliant　sparkle　in　her　eyes。
She　was　talking　rapidlyalmost　incoherently　at　timesand　her
voice　was　tremulous。　　Frequent　little　embarrassed　laughs　punctuated
her　sentences；　and　her　fingers　toyed　with　everything　that　came
within　reach。　　Some　time　before　she　had　sprung　to　her　feet　and　had
turned　on　the　electric　lights；　and　when　she　came　back　she　had　not
taken　her　old　position　at　William's　side；　but　had　seated　herself　in
a　chair　near　by。　　All　of　which；　according　to　William's　eyes；　meant
the　maidenly　shyness　of　a　girl　who　has　just　said　〃yes〃　to　the　man
she　loves。

William　went　home　that　night　in　a　daze。　　To　himself　he　said　that　he
had　gone　out　in　search　of　a　daughter；　and　had　come　back　with　a
wife。



CHAPTER　XXXVII

〃WILLIAM'S　BROTHER〃


It　was　decided　that　for　the　present；　the　engagement　should　not　be
known　outside　the　family。　　The　wedding　would　not　take　place
immediately；　William　said；　and　it　was　just　as　well　to　keep　the
matter　to　themselves　until　plans　were　a　little　more　definite。

The　members　of　the　family　were　told　at　once。　　Aunt　Hannah　said　〃Oh；
my　grief　and　conscience！〃　three　times；　and　made　matters　scarcely
better　by　adding　apologetically：　　〃Oh；　of　course　it's　all　right；
it's　all　right；　only〃　　She　did　not　finish　her　sentence；　and
William；　who　had　told　her　the　news；　did　not　know　whether　he　would
have　been　more　or　less　pleased　if　she　had　finished　it。

Cyril　received　the　information　moodily；　and　lapsed　at　once　into　a
fit　of　abstraction　from　which　he　roused　himself　hardly　enough　to
offer　perfunctory　congratulations　and　best　wishes。

Billy　was　a　little　puzzled　at　Cyril's　behavior。　　She　had　been　sure
for　some　time　that　Cyril　had　ceased　to　care　specially　for　her；　even
if　he　ever　did　fancy　that　he　loved　her。　　She　had　hoped　to　keep　him
for　a　friend；　but　of　late　she　had　been　forced　to　question　even　his
friendliness。　　He　had；　in　fact；　gone　back　almost　to　his　old　reserve
and　taciturn　aloofness。

From　the　West；　in　response　to　William's　news　of　the　engagement；
came　a　cordially　pleased　note　in　Kate's　scrawling　handwriting。
Kate；　indeed；　seemed　to　be　the　only　member　of　the　family　who　was
genuinely　delighted　with　the　coming　marriage。　　As　to　Bertram
Bertram　appeared　to　have　aged　years　in　a　single　night；　so　drawn　and
white　was　his　face　the　morning　after　William　had　told　him　his
plans。

William　had　dreaded　most　of　all　to　tell　Bertram。　　He　was　very　sure
that　Bertram　himself　cared　for　Billy；　and　it　was　doubly　hard
because　in　William's　own　mind　was　a　strong　conviction　that　the
younger　man　was　decidedly　the　one　for　her。　　Realizing；　however；
that　Bertram　must　be　told；　William　chose　a　time　for　the　telling
when　Bertram　was　smoking　in　his　den　in　the　twilight；　with　his　face
half　hidden　from　sight。

Bertram　said　littlevery　little；　that　night；　but　in　the　morning　he
went　straight　to　Billy。

Billy　was　shocked。　　She　had　never　seen　the　smiling；　self…reliant；
debonair　Bertram　like　this。

〃Billy；　is　this　true？〃　he　demanded。　　The　dull　misery　in　his　voice
told　Billy　that　he　knew　the　answer　before　he　asked　the　question。

〃Yes；　yes；　but；　Bertram；　pleaseplease　don't　take　it　like　this！〃
she　implored。

〃How　would　you　have　me　take　it？〃

〃Why；　justjust　sensibly。　　You　know　I　told　you　thatthat　the
other　never　could　benever。〃

〃I　know　YOU　said　so；　but　Ibelieved　otherwise。〃

〃But　I　told　youI　did　not　love　youthat　way。〃

Bertram　winced。　　He　rose　to　his　feet　abruptly。

〃I　know　you　did；　Billy。　　I'm　a　fool；　of　course；　to　think　that　I
could　everchange　it。　　I　shouldn't　have　come　here；　either；　this
morning。　　But　Ihad　to。　　Good…by！〃　　His　face；　as　he　held　out　his
hand；　was　tragic　with　renunciation。

〃Why；　Bertram；　you　aren't　goingnowlike　this！〃　cried　the　girl。
〃You've　just　come！〃

The　man　turned　almost　impatiently。

〃And　do　you　think　I　can　staylike　this？　　Billy；　won't　you　say
good…by？〃　he　asked　in　a　softer　voice；　again　with　outstretched　hand。

Billy　shook　her　head。　　She　ignored　the　hand；　and　resolutely　backed
away。

〃No；　not　like　that。　　You　are　angry　with　me；〃　she　grieved。
〃Besides；　you　make　it　sound　as　ifif　you　were　going　away。〃

〃I　am　going　away。〃

〃Bertram！〃　　There　was　terror　as　well　as　dismay　in　Billy's　voice。

Again　the　man　turned　sharply。

〃Billy；　why　are　you　making　this　thing　so　hard　for　me？〃　he　asked　in
despair。　　〃Can't　you　see　that　I　must　go？〃

〃Indeed；　I　can't。　　And　you　mustn't　go；　either。　　There　isn't　any
reason　why　you　should；〃　urged　Billy；　talking　very　fast；　and　working
her　fingers　nervously。　　〃Things　are　just　the　same　as　they　were
beforefor　you。　　I'm　just　going　to　marry　William；　but　I　wasn't
ever　going　to　marry　you；　so　that　doesn't　change　things　any　for　you。
Don't　you　see？　　Why；　Bertram；　you　mustn't　go　away！　　There　won't　be
anybody　left。　　Cyril's　going　next　week；　you　know；　and　if　you　go
there　won't　be　anybody　left　but　William　and　me。　　Bertram；　you
mustn't　go；　don't　you　see？　　I　should　feel　lost　withoutyou！〃
Billy　was　almost　crying　now。

Bertram　looked　up　quickly。　　An　odd　change　had　come　to　his　face。
For　a　moment　he　gazed　silently　into　Billy's　agitated　countenance；
then　he　asked　in　a　low　voice：

〃Billy；　did　you　think　that　after　you　and　William　were　married　I
should　still　continue　to　live　atthe　Strata？〃

〃Why；　of　course　you　will！〃　cried　the　girl；　indignantly。　　〃Why；
Bertram；　you'll　be　my　brother　thenmy　real　brother；　and　one　of　the
very　chiefest　things　I'm　anticipating　when　I　go　there　to　live　is
the　good　times　you　and　I　will　have　together　when　I'm　William's
wife！〃

Bertram　drew　in　his　breath　audibly；　and　caught　his　lower　lip
between　his　teeth。　　With　an　abrupt　movement　he　turned　his　back　and
walked　to　the　window。　　For　a　full　minute　he　stayed　there；　watched
by　the　amazed；　displeased　eyes　of　the　girl。　　When　he　came　back　he
sat　down　quietly　in　the　chair　facing　Billy。　　His　countenance　was
grave　and　his　eyes　were　a　little　troubled；　but　the　haggard　look　of
misery　was　quite　gone。

〃Billy；〃　he　began　gently；　〃you　must　forgive　my　saying　this；　but
are　you　quite　sure　youlove　William？〃

Billy　flushed　with　anger。

〃You　have　no　right　to　ask　such　a　question。　　Of　course　I　love
William。〃

〃Of　course　you　dowe　all　love　William。　　William　is；　in　fact；　a
most　lovable　man。　　But　William's　wife　should；　perhaps；　love　him　a
little　differently　fromall　of　us。〃

〃And　she　will；　certainly；〃　retorted　the　girl；　with　a　quick　lifting
of　her　chin。　　〃Bertram；　I　don't　think　you　have　any　right　toto
make　such　insinuations。〃

〃And　I　won't　make　them　any　more；〃　replied　Bertram；　gravely。　　〃I
just　wanted　you　to　make　sure　that　youknew。〃

〃I　shall　make　sure；　and　I　shall　know；〃　said　Billy；　firmlyso
firmly　that　it　sounded　almost　as　if　she　were　trying　to　convince
herself　as　well　as　others。

There　was　a　long　pause；　then　the　man　asked　diffidently：

〃And　so　you　are　very　sure　thatthat　you　want　me　tostay？〃

〃Indeed　I　do！　　Besides；don't　you　remember？there　are　all　my
people　to　be　entertained。　　They　must　be　taken　to　places；　and　given
motor　rides　and　picnics。　　You　told　me　last　week　that　you'd　love　to
help　me；　but；　of　course；　if　you　don't　want　to〃

〃But　I　do　want　to；〃　cried　Bertram；　heartily；　a　gleam　of　the　old
cheerfulness　springing　to　his　eyes。　　〃I'm　dying　to！〃

The　girl　looked　up　with　quick　distrust。　　For　a　moment　she　eyed　him
with　bent　brows。　　To　her　mind　he　had　gone　back　to　his　old　airy；
hopeful　light…heartedness。　　He　was　once　more　〃only　Bertram。〃　　She
hesitated；　then　said　with　stern　decision：

〃Bertram；　you　know　I　want　you；　and　you　must　know　that　I'm　delighted
to　have　you　drop　this　silly　notion　of　going　away。　　But　if　this
quick　change　means　that　you　are　staying　with　any　idea　thatthat
_I_　shall　change；　thenthen　you　must　go。　　But　if　you　will　stay　as
WILLIAM'S　BROTHER　thenI'll　be　more　than　glad　to　have　you。〃

〃I'll　stayas　William's　brother；〃　agreed　Bertram；　and　Billy　did
not　notice　the　quick　indrawing　of　his　breath　nor　the　close　shutting
of　his　lips　after　the　words　were　spoken。



CHAPTER　XXXVIII

THE　ENGAGEMENT　OF　TWO


By　the　middle　of　July　the　routine　of　Billy's　days　was　well
established。　　Marie　had　been　for　a　week　a　welcome　addition　to　the
family；　and　she　was　proving　to　be　of　invaluable　aid　in　entertaining
Billy's　guests。　　The　overworked　widow　and　the　little　lodging…house
keeper　from　the　West　End　were　enjoying　Billy's　hospitality　now；　and
just　to　look　at　their　beaming　countenances　was　an　inspiration；
Billy　said。

Cyril　had　gone　abroad。　　Aunt　Hannah　was　spending　a　week　at　the
North　Shore　with　friends。　　Bertram；　true　to　his　promise；　was
playing　the　gallant　to　Billy's　guests；　and　so　assiduous　was　he　in
his　attentions　that　Billy　at　last　remonstrated　with　him。

〃But　I　didn't　mean　them　to　take　ALL　your　time；〃　she　protested。

〃Don't　they　like　it？　　Do　they　see　too　much　of　me？〃　he　demanded。

〃No；　no！　　They　love　it；　of　course。　　You　must　know　that。　　Nobody
else　could　give　such　beautiful　times　as　you've　given　us。　　But　it's
yourself　I'm　thinking　of。　　You're　giving　up　all　your　time。
Besides；　I　didn't　mean　to　keep　you　here　all　summer；　of　course。　　You
always　go　away　some；　you　know；　for　a　vacation。〃

〃But　I'm　having