She glanced at her niece, who felt that her
eyes had noticed each detail of her somewhat unusual dress, but said
nothing until the younger woman turned to her.
"They would scarcely come to-night, aunt," she said. Miss Barrington,
listening a moment, heard the wind that whirled the snow about the
lonely building, but smiled incredulously.
"I fancy you are wrong, and I wish my brother were here," she said.
"We could not refuse Mr. Winston permission to call, but whatever
passes between us will have more than its individual significance.
Anything we tacitly promise, the others will agree to, and I feel the
responsibility of deciding for Silverdale."
Miss Barrington went out; but her niece, who understood her smile and
that she had received a warning, sat still with a strained expression
in her eyes. The prosperity of Silverdale had been dear to her, but
she knew she must let something that was dearer still slip away from
her, or, since they must come from her, trample on her pride as she
made the first advances. It seemed a very long while before there was
a knocking at the outer door, and she rose with a little quiver when
light steps came up the stairway.
In the meanwhile two men stood beside the stove in the hall until an
English maid returned to them.
"Colonel Barrington is away, but Miss Barrington, and Miss Maud are at
home," she said. "Will you go forward into the morning-room when you
have taken off your furs?"
"Did you know Barrington was not here?" asked Winston, when the maid
moved away.
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