Page:Middle Aged Love Stories (IA middleagedlove00bacorich).djvu/104



“You would?” he asked with a smile. “I thought so! Here is a village that scorns your efforts and a respectful suitor who implores them. Can you hesitate?”

His smile was irresistible, and she returned it half reprovingly. “Will you never be serious?” she said. “I wonder that I can—” She stopped.

“That you can—” he repeated, watching her blush, but she would not finish.

“You must not think that I can give up my work—my real work—so easily,” she said, rising and looking down on him with a return of her simple impressive seriousness. “I shall have to consider. I have been very much disturbed by their conduct. I will see you after supper,” and with a gesture that told him to remain, she left the room, her head high as she caught Annabel’s voice from outside. She turned in the door, however, and the stern curves of her mouth melted with a smile so sweet, a promise so gracious and so tender, that when her eyes, frank and