She shook off his detaining hand, and walked away in silence, with head
erect and cheeks burning with indignation.
Ralph had not heard Edward's low-spoken words, but looking after Zoe, as
she disappeared within the doorway, "Seems to me you're a bit of a tyrant,
Ned," he remarked with a coarse, disagreeable laugh.
"I am not aware of having shown any evidence of being such," Edward
returned rather haughtily, as he remounted. Then, turning his horse's
head, he rode rapidly away.
Zoe went to her boudoir, gave vent to her anger in a hearty fit of crying,
then set to work at the lessons with a sincere desire to please the
husband she really loved with all her heart.
"I've been forgetting the two bears," she said to herself, "but I'll try
again, and when that hateful Miss Deane goes away, everything will be
right again. I know Ned has to be polite to her; and it's very silly in me
to get vexed when he talks to her; but I can't help it, because he's my
all."
She finished her tasks, dressed herself for dinner with care and taste,
and when she heard his step on the stairs ran to the door to meet him.
Her face was bright and eager, but changed at sight of his cold,
forbidding looks.
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