“Sheila, I did not mean to be so sudden, I promised not to be in such haste; they all tell me I must not expect to carry everything before me. But when I see you, I forget everything except that I love you. Oh, Sheila, won’t you try and love me too? I am so sure I could make you happy, if you would only give yourself into my keeping.”
Her eyes were on the ground, but there was that in her down-bent quivering face that gave Ronald hope and courage. He bent over her and touched her cheek with his lips.
“Sheila, won’t you say you will try to care for me a little?”
“Oh, Ronald, I do!” she suddenly exclaimed; and then they forgot everything else in that wonderful first embrace of love, in which the gates of a new world seemed flung open before them, and they walked alone in that new world, as though it were their own for evermore.
“But, Ronald,” said Sheila gravely, after those first golden moments had passed, and they began to awake to the realities of life, “you must not ask me to be impatient or selfish. I must think of other people as well, and I must not promise anything without the consent of my uncles.”
“But you are nearly of age, my darling; you will soon be your own mistress.”
“Yes, but that is not quite it, Ronald. My uncles have been very kind to me; my home is with one of them, and my aunt begins to depend upon me. I must not be selfish; you would not like me if I were. We may have to wait a little perhaps, but you won’t mind that, will you, Ronald?”
“I don’t know,” answered Ronald. “And I have an idea your aunt will set herself against this, and she rules your uncle. I won’t have you spirited away from me again, Sheila. That I can’t stand!”
She laughed and put her hand upon his lips.
“Don’t say rude things of my nice aunt and uncle. They are a great deal kinder to me than I deserve, for I did not always treat them very nicely.”
“Stuff! you were an angel; it was they who bullied you, and that Effie always wanted to come between us.”
“No, she didn’t; that is all your fancy. Effie is much nicer than you think, and is getting more sensible and stronger every week. She will be on our side, I know. And, Ronald, I only want us to be reasonable and unselfish, and not put ourselves and our affairs first. If you asked Miss Adene, she would tell you just the same.”