At last she heard his step approach the door, then his hand upon the knob,
when she instantly took up her book and fixed her eyes upon its open page,
as though unconscious of everything but what was printed there, yet really
not taking in the meaning of a single word.
Edward came in, came close to her side. Still she neither moved nor lifted
her eyes. But she could not control her color, and he saw through her
pretences.
He knelt down beside her chair, bent his head and looked up into her face
with laughing eyes.
"What can it be that so interests my little wife that she does not even
know that her husband has come home, after this their first day of
separation? Have you no kiss of welcome for him, little woman?"
The book was thrust hastily aside, and in an instant her arms were about
his neck, her lips pressed again and again to his.
"O Ned, I do love you!" she said softly, "but I began to think you didn't
care for me--going to see mamma first, and then waiting to dress."
"Mamma and grandpa were concerned in the business that took me away
to-day, and I owed them a prompt report upon it; yet I looked in here
first for my wife, but couldn't find her; then I asked for her, and was
told that she had been seen going out for a walk.
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