He was so grateful for her
kindness--and affected by her beauty; he could not do less, he felt.
And after that, with a deliciously girlish and confused gasp, Mrs.
Cricklander had hastily quitted the room.
It was not until the second day that she came again--and he had begun to
wish for her.
This time she was bright and amusing, and assumed airs of authority over
him, and was careful never to sit so that her hand might be in reach,
while she used every one of her many arts of tantalization and enjoyed
herself as only she knew how to do.
It was perfectly divine to have him there to play upon like a violin and
to know it was only a question of time before she would secure him for
her own!
After this, she had visitors in the house and did not come for three
days, and John Derringham felt a little peevish and aggrieved. It
rained, too, and his head ached still with the slightest exertion.
He now began to put all thoughts of Halcyone away from him, as far as he
was able. It was too late to do anything--she must think him base, as
she had never sent him one word.
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