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Innocent : her fancy and his fact by Marie Corelli
page 113 of 503 (22%)

"Settle up things," he repeated, slowly, and with emphasis--
"Settle up things with Robin. No more beating about the bush! You
talked to him long enough out of window last night, and mind you!
--somebody was listening! That means mischief! _I_ don't blame you,
poor wilding!--but remember, SOMEBODY WAS LISTENING! Now think of
that and of your good name, child!--settle with Robin and we'll
have the banns put up next Sunday."

While he thus spoke the warm rose of her cheeks faded to an
extreme pallor,--her very lips grew white and set. Her hurrying
thoughts clamoured for utterance,--she could have expressed in
passionate terms her own bitter sense of wrong and unmerited
shame, but pity for the old man's worn and haggard look of pain
held her silent. She saw and felt that he was not strong enough to
bear any argument or opposition in his present mood, so she made
no sort of reply, not even by a look or a smile. Quietly she went
to the breakfast table, and busied herself in preparing his
morning meal. He followed her and sat heavily down in his usual
chair, watching her furtively as she poured out the tea.

"Such little white hands, aren't they?" he said, coaxingly,
touching her small fingers when she gave him his cup--"Eh,
wilding? The prettiest lily flowers I ever saw! And one of them
will look all the prettier for a gold wedding-ring upon it! Ay,
ay! We'll have the banns put up on Sunday."

Still she did not speak; once she turned away her head to hide the
tears that involuntarily rose to her eyes. Old Hugo, meanwhile,
began to eat his breakfast with the nervous haste of a man who
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