You two belong to us, just as if you'd been given to us by Jim. We want
to do what's best for you both. I thought, for Brian, it would be good
perhaps to have Dierdre----"
"Perhaps," I murmured, when she paused.
"You're not sure? I wasn't at first. I mean, I wasn't sure she was good
enough. But since the night when she threw herself in front of him to
keep off the dog, I saw she cared. Maybe she didn't know it herself till
then. But she's known ever since. You've only to see the way she looks
at him. And she's growing more and more of a woman--Brian's influence,
and the influence of her love--such a great influence, dear! It might be
for his happiness, if----"
"I don't think Brian would marry Dierdre or any girl, unless his sight
came back," I said. "He's often told me he wouldn't marry."
"Was that before he went to Paris with the O'Farrells? Things have been
rather different since then--and a good _deal_ different since the
night we met Jack Curtis with Sirius."
"I know," I admitted. "But if Brian wanted to change his mind about
marrying, he couldn't. Neither he nor Dierdre O'Farrell have a
penny----"
"Brian's got as much as we have," the dear woman assured me.
"Do you think he'd take your money to marry on? No, dearest! Brian's
very unworldly. So far, he hasn't worried about finances for the
present. The future is different. If he doesn't get back his sight----"
"But he will--he must!" she urged.
Pages:
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309