After the drawing-room, the reading-room, and a
breakfast-room, all opening from the same corridor, had been passed
through, there were still two rooms unexplored on that floor. I
turned the handle of the nearer door, and then pushed it open.
Lucia stepped on to the threshold, and then I felt her arm start
violently in mine, and she drew back with a sharp, instinctive
movement.
I looked down upon her and murmured,--
"Our room, dearest."
The colour blazed all over the fair skin, till it seemed scorching
it, and tears startled into the dismayed eyes, which she turned from
me confusedly, as she shrank back into the passage.
I was startled, and a chill seemed to fall upon me, and penetrate
deeper as a grey pallor succeeded to the burning flush, and she had
to lay one trembling hand on my arm again for actual support.
"Victor, it is nothing!" she said, hurriedly, forcing a smile to her
lips.
"It--it--startled me."
She made a nervous step forward, as if she would have forced herself
to enter the room with me, but I collected myself with a great
effort, and gently drew the door shut.
"There is another sitting-room a little farther on; come and look at
it," I said, quietly, in a light, indifferent tone, as if we were
meeting in society for the first time.
I drew her on past the door, feeling her hand fluttering on my arm,
and her feet uncertain beside my own.
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