I never thought of leaving you or mamma--I never
thought of the man himself as of a lover."
"You did not care for him, then, as you do for Lord Airlie?"
interposed Lillian.
"Do not pain me!" begged Beatrice. "I love Hubert with the love
that comes but once in life; that man was nothing to me except
that his flattery, and the excitement of contriving to meet him,
made my life more endurable. He gave me a ring, and said in two
years' time he should return to claim me. He was going on a long
voyage. Lily, I felt relieved when he was gone--the novelty was
over--I had grown tired. Besides, when the glamour fell from my
eyes, I was ashamed of what I had done. I tried to forget all
about him; every time the remembrance of him came to my mind I
drove it from me. I did not think it possible he would ever
return. It was but a summer's pastime. That summer has darkened
my life. Looking back, I own I did very wrong. There is great
blame attaching to me, but surely they who shut me out from the
living world were blameworthy also.
"Remember all through my story, darling, that I am not so good,
not so patient and gentle as you.
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