"All!" he repeated, reproachfully and tenderly.
But Amy would not raise her eyes, and replied, coldly, "Yes; I can scarcely tell you which."
And in spite of her still averted face, he drew her towards the long window, near where they were standing, she having no power of resisting, not knowing well how to, so she held out her hand as well as she was able.
He held the small, soft fingers in his, and took off from her wrist the ribbon with which she had bound it.
It was much swollen and inflamed, and was decidedly sprained. He looked closer still, until his breath blew over those clear blue veins, and he could scarcely resist the temptation of pressing his lips on them--might, perhaps, have done so--when they were both startled.
A dark shadow floated towards them, and danced in the light reflected from the windows by the last red rays of the fast fading sun, right across them.
It was Frances, returning, full of anger and wounded feeling, after her meeting with Fanny.
Scornfully she stood and looked at both, while both quailed at her glance, and the proud, angry look in her eyes.
Charles was the first to recover himself. "Miss Neville has sprained her wrist badly, Frances. Come and see."
More scornfully still, she returned his gaze, and then saying, with cutting sarcasm, "Pray do not let me disturb you," she swept on, as though the ground was scarcely good enough for her to walk on, or that her pride would at all hazards o'er master any and every thing that came in her way.
"It is too much," she repeated again, "and more than I can bear," but this time there was no rebellious sigh, nothing but pride and determination struggling in her heart.
She went into her own room, and locked the door, so that the loud click of the key, as she turned it in the lock, startled again those she had left in the gallery.
"My cousin is not blessed with a good temper," remarked Charles, "though what she has had to vex her I know not, and do not much care;" but at the same time, if Amy could have read his heart, she would have seen that he was inwardly uncomfortable at her having caught him.
"I am sorry," was all Amy said, but it expressed much, as taking the ribbon from his hand, and gently declining his proffered assistance of again binding it round the injured wrist, she left him.