CHAPTER VI.
LOVE'S ROSY DAWN.
It's an era strange, yet sweet, Which every woman's heart has known, When first her young heart learns to beat To the soft music of a tone-- That era when she first begins To know, what love alone can teach, That there are hidden depths within, Which friendship never yet could reach. --_Phebe Carey._
"Now," said Mrs. Ellsworth, while rising from the breakfast-table, "Ihave invited some young people to come and spend the day and play golf;so prepare yourselves for conquest, young ladies, as there will beseveral eligibles among them."
They wandered out into the beautiful grounds, and the beauty of the dayand the scene made Dainty's sad heart brighter, until Ela, who hadpertinaciously clung to her ever since they came out, observed,maliciously:
"You have offended Love Ellsworth beyond forgiveness by your story justnow. Did you not know that he becomes violently angry at the merestmention of the family ghost, and has discharged several servants forgossiping over it?"
Dainty's heart sank heavily, for she recalled Love's lowering lookswhile she told the story he had insisted on hearing, and she could notdoubt that Ela's words were true.
She said, faintly:
"How should I know it, Ela? You did not tell me last night."
"Did I not? Well, I meant to do so; but I must have forgotten it, andthe mischief is done now. Love Ellsworth will never forgive you!"repeated Ela, with a malicious little chuckle.
Dainty's red mouth quivered with pain for a moment; then pride came toher aid, and cresting her golden head haughtily, she cried:
"Why should I care? Love Ellsworth is nothing to me!"
"I'm glad to hear it, for I thought, from the way you rolled your eyesat him last night and this morning, that you had lost your heart to himalready, and I thought it a pity to show your heart to a man soplainly," gibed her tormentor, viciously.
"You were mistaken, Ela. I never thought of loving him, and I hope hedid not think so," cried the proud child, fearfully.
"There's no telling what he thought. Men are very, very vain, andbelieve that every girl who gives them a glance is in love with them. Isuppose Love Ellsworth is like the rest; and, rich as he is, I have nodoubt he is a terrible flirt. But there comes a carriage load of youngpeople, and perhaps you and I may catch a beau, too, Dainty; for Oliveseems to have captured Love," glancing toward her cousin, who was indeedholding the young man in unwilling chains, while she lamented that hercousin Dainty was the most arrant little coward in the world, and alwaysgoing into hysterics over some trifle, so that she and Ela had beenvery sorry she was invited to Ellsworth, feeling sure that her vagarieswould cause dear Aunt Judith no end of trouble.
But in a minute he had to leave her side to welcome the newcomers--threeyoung men and one girl--which paired the party into four couples; andafter introductions all around, Dainty found that Love Ellsworth hadfallen to her lot; whether by chance or his own design, she could nottell.
They went down to the golf ground, and played for an hour; but Ellsworthfound his fair companion very shy and _distrait_ all the while; and whenat last they all sat down beneath the trees to rest, he asked,anxiously:
"Are you offended with me, that you seem so cold and quiet?"
The wistful blue eyes turned gravely on his face.
"I thought you were offended with me, because of last night; you lookedso angry while I was telling you of my scare," she answered, timidly.
"Angry with you, child? How could any one have the heart?" he cried. "Iwas angry, I own, but it was because I believed that some of theservants had played a cruel joke on you. But I have ordered a strictinvestigation, and if the plot is discovered, the guilty parties shallcertainly suffer."
"Oh, if I could think it only a joke; but it seemed so terribly real!"she breathed, tremblingly; and he longed to catch her in his arms andkiss away her fears.
But the proprieties forbid this soothing process; so he hastened toassure her that it could not possibly be real, only a trick of somemalicious person, who would certainly be discovered and punished.
"And now, Dainty," he said--"may I call you Dainty?" he added,tenderly; for she had looked up with a start.
She faltered, "Yes," and he proceeded in a low voice thrilling withpassion:
"Dainty, you told me your story of last night, now I will tell you mine.When I opened my door at your frenzied knock, and you fell fainting intomy arms, I longed to hold you there forever; for, darling, I lost myheart to you even before I saw your bonny face, as soon as I heard yoursweet voice sobbing to your mother, inside the window, of the crueltreatment of your jealous cousins. When I came into the parlor, and sawyou with the tears in your lovely eyes, I thought you fairer than anyflower, and longed to kiss your tears away. All the way to Ellsworth Iwas longing to tell you that I loved you so I could not live withoutyou, and that you must promise to be my cherished bride. Can you believein a love so sudden and sweet and overwhelming as this I am confessingto you?"
"Yes, oh, yes!" the girl murmured, forgetting Ela's caution, that hemust very likely be a dreadful flirt, and carried away by the fervor ofhis passion, and the responsiveness of her own heart.
Oh, what a beautiful light of joy leaped to his eyes at her encouragingreply!
"Bless you, my darling, bless you! Then our hearts have leaped to meeteach other. You will promise to be mine?" he cried, eagerly, his gladeyes beaming on her face, the only demonstration of love possible underthe circumstances, for they were in plain view of all the other couples.
She trembled with exquisite delight, sweet Dainty, and could not replyfor a moment.
"Answer, darling," he pleaded. "Will you be mine? If you are too shy tospeak, look at me with those tender blue eyes, and I will read my fate."
Slowly, bashfully, the long fringe of her lashes fluttered upward, andthe glorious blue met the passionate dark ones in a long, lingering lookthat needed no words to tell of the love that thrilled either heart withdeathless emotion; and he was content. He had won the prize.