"
"For God's sake don't send me away from you. I can't go. I won't."
"Yes, if I beg you to go. And I do. You must stand by this poor girl,
alone in the world except for you. I see from what you tell me, that she
needs you and appeals to your chivalry by lacking everything except what
comes from you. It can't be wrong to protect her, after giving your
promise, even though you mayn't love her in the way you once thought you
did: but it _would_ be wrong to abandon her now----"
A rustling in the long path made Stephen turn. Some one was coming. It
was Margot Lorenzi.
He could not believe that it was really she, and stared stupidly,
thinking the figure he saw an optical illusion.
She had on a grey travelling dress, and a grey hat trimmed with black
ribbon, which, Stephen noted idly, was powdered with dust. Her black
hair was dusty, too, and her face slightly flushed with heat,
nevertheless she was beautiful, with the luscious beauty of those women
who make a strong physical appeal to men.
Behind her was an Arab servant, whom she had passed in her eagerness. He
looked somewhat troubled, but seeing Stephen he threw up his hands in
apology, throwing off all responsibility. Then he turned and went back
towards the house.
Margot, too, had seen Stephen. Her eyes flashed from him to the figure
of the girl, which she saw in profile. She did not speak, but walked
faster; and Victoria, realizing that their talk was to be interrupted by
somebody, looked round, expecting Lady MacGregor or Saidee.
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