"Aren't you my Daisy?" he said, looking down into my face with
his flashing eyes, all alight with fire and pleasure.

"But that -" I began.

"No evasions, Daisy. Answer. Aren't you mine?"

I said "yes" meekly. But what other words I had purposed to
add were simply taken off my lips. I looked round, in scared
fashion, to see who was near; but Thorold laughed softly
again.

"It is too dark for people to make minute investigations,
Daisy."

"Dark!" said I. "Oh, Christian, I must go home. I shall be
missed, and Mrs. Sandford will be frightened."

"Will the doctor come after you?"

"Oh, no, he is sick; but Christian, I must go home."

He turned and went with me, changing his tone, and making a
variety of tender inquiries about my situation and my doings.
They were something new; they were so tender of me, so
thoughtful of my welfare, so protecting in their inquisitive
care; and moreover they were the inquiries of one who had a
right to know all about me. Something entirely new to my
experience; my mother's care was never so sympathetic; my
father's never so fond; even my guardian's was never so