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.While she had been lost in her dream he had made breakfast.She smiled at him, discovering that it was possible to be happy and sad at the same time.The sadness was for the impossibility of making a life with him, but greater, far greater, was the happiness that swamped her as she contemplated him.She had only known for a few minutes that she loved him, but already he looked different, more vivid, more intense.How could she ever have thought of him as a brother? She had discovered the greatest joy known to a woman, that of knowing that she had given her love to a man who was in every way worthy of love."Now tell me what happened out there," he said, pouring her tea.The tea was delicious, and so was the egg that he had boiled her.Forget the bleak future.It was enough just to be here with him."I stepped out for a breath of fresh air, and went down to the bridge.And he just appeared beside me.""You mean he sprang up out of nowhere?" John asked, his eyes twinkling."No, he must have walked across the grass, but I didn't see him.""He was invisible?"Her lips twitched."No, I was looking down into the water.""How long?""I don't know.I was thinking.""So he had time to walk across the grass?"She sighed."Yes, he must have.""But where did he come from? I thought they went back to London.""No, they put up at a hotel nearby.He hasn't given up.And this means, of course, that I did see him in the wood last night.He must have come back to spy, and seen the lamp.""Why didn't you bring him into the house?""It wasn't you he wanted to see.He had something to say to me.""What?""He offered me a bribe.He's convinced that if I shut up and got out he could get you into his trap.So he tried to buy me for five thousand pounds.""The devil he did!" He was eyeing her, fascinated."What did you say to him?""I pushed him up to ten thousand.""You what? Rena, you don't mean you - ?""Of course not.Don't be absurd.I'd hardly be sitting here telling you about it if I was going to take his money.No, I just wanted to see how high I could push him - just for curiosity.""And how much is your compliance worth to him?""Ten thousand.I can't tell you how delightful it felt to turn him down.I don't think anyone's done that for years.Oh, my goodness!"She straightened up suddenly, her hands over her mouth as a shattering thought occurred to her."Rena, what is it?""I shouldn't have turned him down.I should have taken the ten thousand and given it to you.Oh, how could I be so stupid?""Cheat him, you mean?" John asked, grinning."After all the people he must have cheated by now, it's about time somebody did it to him."Sweet heaven! Papa would have a fit.With his uncanny ability to read her mind, John asked, "Is this the kind of thinking you learned at the parsonage?""No, I invented it myself," she said defiantly."Papa would be shocked.""And very surprised I should think.""No, not surprised.He always said the tone of my mind left room for improvement.""I think the tone of your mind is perfect.It's very sweet of you to want to do this for me, but don't blame yourself for not thinking of it in time.I doubt you could really have fooled him.He wouldn't have given you a penny until you were well away from here and it was too late."Rena nodded."You're right.He's just the sort of mean, suspicious character who'd do that.""So what happened when you'd turned him down? How did he react to your refusal."She shrugged, unwilling to tell him more."Rena, what is it? Did he dare to attack you?""No, of course not.""Then what? Please don't keep things from me.Rena! For pity's sake, you're scaring me.""He wanted to buy me in another way," she said, not looking at him."You mean he - ?"She shrugged and said as lightly as she could, "He offered to set me up in a fine house in Park Lane, clothes, jewels, everything I could want.""He did what?" The words came from him in a violent whisper."I turned that down too and he became very angry [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]