Geoffrey knelt beside his prostrate companion and appeared to be
endeavouring to restore him, until the ladies and their servant
were out of sight.
"That was well managed," Gerald Burke said, sitting up as soon as
a turn of the road hid them from view. "Now we shall have our answer
tomorrow. Thank goodness there is no occasion for us to remain any
longer in these garments!"
They went to the wood and resumed their usual attire, and then
walked to a large village some four miles away, and putting up at
the principal inn remained there until early the next morning; then
they walked back to the village they had left on the previous day
and posted themselves in a thicket by the roadside, so that they
could see passersby without being themselves observed.
"My fate will soon be decided now," Gerald said. "Will she wear a
white flower or not?"
"I am pretty sure that she will," Geoffrey said. "She would not
have started and coloured when she recognized your voice if she did
not love you. I do not think you need be under much uneasiness on
that score."
In half an hour the ladies again came along, followed as before
by their servants. Donna Inez wore a bunch of white flowers in her
dress.
"There is my answer," Gerald said. "Thank heaven! she loves me, and
is ready to fly with me, and will steal out some time after dark
to meet me in the garden.
Pages:
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277