CHAPTER XXIV
PETER
Nancy knew, with the instinct of a heart unfamiliar with coquetry, whatPeter had to tell her!
She had wanted dreadfully to have to stay away from the orchard--shehad hoped that Aunt Milly might need her, but Aunt Milly had gone tobed directly after supper, exhausted by the day's happenings. AuntSabrina's door had been shut ever since, with the wallet, she had goneinto her room, and from within no sound betrayed her tragedy. B'lindywas fiercely struggling, with mop and broom, to remove all traces ofthe "curse" from Happy House. "Now just keep out of my way! I'm thatupset," she answered Nancy, shortly.
The sunset was gorgeous. It flooded the garden with a soft, flaminggolden light.
Like all girls, Nancy had had her dream of that time when her Knightshould come riding to her; like all girls her dream-Knight was apleasantly hazy individual, changing with her changing moods. And shehad not wanted him to come quickly. Her young freedom was veryprecious to her.
One or two others had proposed to Nancy in hot-headed, boyish fashion.That had been part of girlhood's fun. One, a Junior, after begging herto elope with him, had gone away crushed, and vengeful, only to sendher, two weeks later, a bunch of violets and a little note thanking herfor her "common-sense," explaining that "Pop had threatened to cut hisallowance in half unless he settled down and made his mid-years."
These had been boys; dear, sentimental, clean-hearted boys, but PeterHyde was different--
She had not dreamed of this--not for a moment, until she had seen it inhis eyes that afternoon as they sat under the maple tree with B'lindy'slunch spread between them. He had been such a jolly comrade throughthese weeks at Freedom, he had been so understandable, like Claire andAnne and Daddy! He had never thought she was silly ornot-grown-up-enough, he liked children and animals and knew just whatto do to make Nonie and Davy happy; he had shared with her hisambitions in his work as though she was a man but, with it all, he wasa farmer--his lot had been cast in the narrow confines of Judson's farmand barns and piggery--except for these pleasant days at Happy Houseshe, Nancy Leavitt, with her heart set on a goal as distant as thestars themselves, could have little in common with him.
All this flashed through her mind as she walked slowly, reluctantlytoward the orchard--and with it an annoyance that their pleasantcomradeship should end this way. So that when, a little later, a veryearnest Peter began to tell her in stumbling, awkward words how muchher going must mean to him, she wanted to cry out and beg him to stop.
"Nancy--_I'm_ clumsy as the devil. Don't you _know_ what I want totell you? I can't let you go without knowing it--and--and--Nancy,_could_ you ever--ever love a fellow--like me--enough--to--want--tomarry him?"
Then the woman's heart within her made Nancy ages old.
"Oh, Peter!" she said with tender compassion. She _didn't_ want tohurt this very dear friend!
"I'm not nearly good enough for you, Nancy, but then, _any_ fellowisn't good enough! And, Nancy, there isn't anything in this wholeworld I wouldn't do--if you cared."
"Oh, Peter!" Why _in_ the world couldn't she say something more, shethought. Why couldn't she stem that flood she knew was coming? Whycould she not make him see instantly, how impossible it all was--andsay good-bye and go!
"I'll make you happy, Nancy--if loving will do it," he finished humbly.
"Peter--I wish--you hadn't--said this!"
"Do you mean you don't care--a bit?" he cried, protestingly. "Have Ifrightened you? You said yourself that living one day up here was likeweeks somewhere else! Somehow I've not thought of your goingaway--ever. You seemed such a part of it here. You'reso--different--from all the girls I've known! You're such a--_pal_.That's the kind a man needs!"
Nancy was biting her lip to hide its trembling. Over her swept areverence for this that Peter Hyde was offering her--she knew that aman's pure soul was being bared before her. His awkward words cameslowly because they were born of a deep feeling. She was not worthy!
"Oh, Peter! Peter! Please--I'm--I can't let you say all this! I'm_not_--what you think me! I'm a _cheat_! You'd hate me if----"
He caught her hand. "I know what you are, Nancy--you're the best,truest, straightest-hearted little girl that ever lived!"
With an effort that hurt Nancy pulled herself together. She lookedaway so that she might not see that it hurt Peter Hyde when she pulledher hand from his close clasp.
"Peter--we must be--sensible." She hated her own words, but somethingwithin her, told her that she must say them. "We've been jollycomrades--here, but--I'm not cut out for--this sort of life. I'd hateit--after a little; I'd go mad on a farm with just cows and pigs andthings around," she caught her breath; "I'm really an awfully selfishgirl, Peter, and I've set my heart on my career! I'll always put thatbefore anything--_anyone_ else! That wouldn't be fair--to you. Youmust forget me and find someone who will help you in your work."
His face was turned from her--his silence frightened her. She tried tomake her tone light. "You've been a fine pal, Peter, you've helped mea lot. You've taught me a great many things, too. I've always thoughtthat farmers and--and----"
He wheeled suddenly.
"Nancy, you haven't said you _didn't_ care for me, any!" he cried.
Nancy flushed in vexation.
"Well, I'm _trying_ to--the best way I know how! I _do_ like you--I'mgoing to be as honest as I can be! I just couldn't _ever_--no matterhow much I might like the _farmer_--stand for--for a farm likeJudson's!"
To Nancy's unutterable amazement Peter Hyde commenced to laugh, verysoftly, with a look in his eyes that caressed her. What anunexplainable creature he was--anyway!
"When my play is produced," Nancy went on, airily, "I shall invite youto come down and sit in a box and see it--and maybe, you'll bring MissDenny with you!" She wanted to punish him.
But Peter Hyde, the incorrigible, was looking neither crestfallen nordisheartened. He seized both of Nancy's hands and held them very close.
"I'll come! When that play is produced you can just bet I'll be in thestage box and it won't be Miss Denny that's with me either! Youhaven't told me, Nancy--that you did not love _me_! You've just saidyou didn't like--pigs and cows and hired men and Judson's in general.Dear, I'm not going to let you answer me--now! I'm not even going tosay good-bye! You're a tired little girl. If I go, will you promiseme to go straight to bed?"
In her astonishment Nancy submitted to the impetuous kiss he pressedagainst her fingers. When but a few moments before her heart had beentorn with pity that she must hurt this man, now he was, in a masterfulway, sending her off to bed as though she was a very little girl! Andnothing in his tone or manner suggested _anything_ but utter peace ofmind and heart.
But Nancy _was_ tired--so very tired that it was pleasant to be led upthe path toward the house, to think that someone--even PeterHyde--cared enough about her to beg her "not to open an eye fortwenty-four hours."
And of course it was because the day had held so much for her that uponreaching her room, she threw herself across her bed and burst into apassion of tears.