Dora said
innocently:
'You wished me to tell you when it was half-past nine, Marian.'
And Marian rose. This was a signal Whelpdale could not disregard.
Immediately he made ready for his own departure, and in less than
five minutes was gone, his face at the last moment expressing
blended delight and pain.
'Too good of you to have asked me to come,' he said with
gratitude to Jasper, who went to the door with him. 'You are a
happy man, by Jove! A happy man!'
When Jasper returned to the room his sisters had vanished. Marian
stood by the fire. He drew near to her, took her hands, and
repeated laughingly Whelpdale's last words.
'Is it true?' she asked.
'Tolerably true, I think.'
'Then I am as happy as you are.'
He released her hands, and moved a little apart.
'Marian, I have been thinking about that letter to your father. I
had better get it written, don't you think?'
She gazed at him with troubled eyes.
'Perhaps you had. Though we said it might be delayed until--'
'Yes, I know. But I suspect you had rather I didn't wait any
longer.
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