Lady Warburton faced us, her parasol tucked beneath her arm, looking
very much like a military officer on parade.
"Dorothy and Reginald," she said in a short, sharp voice of command,
"bid good-bye to your Auntie Lisbeth and accompany me home at once."
"No, no," cried Lisbeth, with hands stretched out appealingly, "you
will not leave us like this, Aunt - for the sake of the love I shall
always bear you, and - and - "
"Elizabeth, I cared for you from your babyhood up. Ingratitude is
my return. I watched you grow from child to woman. I planned out
a future for you; you broke those plans. I might tell you that I
am a lonely, disappointed old woman, who loved you much more than
she thought, but I won't!"
"Dear, dear Aunt Agatha, did you love me so much, and I never
guessed; you wouldn't let me, you see. Ah! do not think me
ungrateful, but when a woman comes to marry she must choose for
herself as I have done; and I am happy, dear, and proud of my choice
- proud to have won the true love of a true man; only do not think
I am ungrateful. And if this must be good-bye, do not let us part
like this - for my sake and your sake and the sake of my - husband.
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