Margaret of the North Read Online Free Page A

gratitude for his having continued to love her despite all that
had passed.  She felt humbled by his constancy, his deep love and, in a
tremulous voice, she made her own confession.  "Don't you know that I have
loved you for some time now?"
    "Since before you left
Milton?"  He asked, with some consternation, regretting once again the
months of separation that they could have been spared.
    "Yes, I think so.  I know so. 
But at the time, I was convinced you thought badly of me because I lied to the
police to hide a secret indiscreet meeting with a strange man."
    "No, not because you lied. 
It hurt that you could love another man but not me, and you loved him enough to
protect him and lie for him."
    "Frederick was in danger of
being executed if he was caught and we could not let anyone, especially an
agent of the law, know that he was in England."
    "If I was not so jealous, I
would have realized that there was a reason you did not tell the truth."
    "I was sorely tempted to
tell you but I thought Fred was still in the country."
    "Did you not think I would
keep your brother's presence a secret if you had confided in me?"
    "I was in great fear for my
brother's life and I already felt so indebted to you that I could not let you
compromise your position any further on my account."
    For an instant, her eyes
fluttered at an uneasy recollection and she turned towards the window at the
hypnotic blur of green trees speeding by.  After a few moments, she spoke
again, her eyes on the yellow rose on her lap, her attempt to sound casual
betrayed by the slight quiver in her voice.  "I knew by then how wrong I
was about you, just when you declared I was merely a foolish passion that was over,
that you were looking to the future."  She paused, took in a long breath,
and added in a more collected manner.  "With someone else, I
assumed."
    Margaret kept her eyes glued on
the rose as he explained, a hint of amusement in his voice.  "Perhaps, I
did mean to forget you.  Fanny contrived situations to bring Miss Latimer and
me together, with my mother's blessings, no doubt.  Miss Latimer seemed quite
interested so I did turn my attention towards her.  But, alone in my room at
night or even in my office at the mill, it was always your face I saw.  Miss
Latimer is very pretty and very much the lady.  She would make any other man
happy."
    He placed a hand under her chin
and gently turned her face up but she kept her eyes hidden behind half-closed
lids.  "But, me?  I was haunted by this vibrant young woman with the skin
of ivory and large expressive blue eyes"—he peered closer into her
eyes—"or are they green?  I have never seen a pair that can turn fiery
with anger but also serene and radiant with love.  I am afraid I found every
other young lady very dull."
    She met his gaze then but the
intensity of his flustered her and she had to lower hers.  Her cheeks burned
and her heart raced once again.
    She was still struggling to
master her fluttering heart when he continued, his ardent voice just above a
whisper.  "When I first saw you on the train platform this afternoon, you
looked at me with eyes glowing with promise and such a bewitching half-smile on
your lips"—he bent over and kissed her—"that I could hardly control
myself from taking you in my arms and whisking you away with me right there and
then."
    Struggling for control of her own
emotions was impossible for her then and with eyes half-closed, she swayed
against him and buried her face on his shoulder.
    John murmured, his breath warm
against her cheek, "When you left Milton, it became clearer to me that it
was only your good opinion I really cared about and yours the only face I
wanted to gaze into were I to wake up with someone in the morning."
    Her cheeks blushed deeply.  She
suppressed a sob, threw her arms around his neck and snuggled her face against
it, amazed by how agreeable it felt and she thought, "This is where I
belong.  I could stay like this a long