"
"But I do," she answered, holding his hand and leading him to the
carriage, which took him to the church.
He had not intended going there as long as there was an excuse for
staying away, and he felt himself grow sick and faint when he stood
amid the Christmas decorations and remembered the last year when he
and Anna had fastened the wreaths upon the wall.
They were trimming the church very elaborately in honor of him and his
bride, and white artificial flowers, so natural that they could not be
detected, were mingled with scarlet leaves and placed among the mass
of green. The effect was very fine and Arthur tried to praise it, but
his face belied his words; and, after he was gone, the disappointed
girls declared that he acted more like a man about to be hung than one
so soon to be married.
It was very late that night when Lucy summoned Valencia to comb out
her long, thick curls, and Valencia was tired, and cross, and sleepy,
handling the brush so awkwardly and snarling her mistress's hair so
often that Lucy expostulated with her sharply, and this awoke the
slumbering demon, which, bursting into full life, could no longer be
restrained; and, in amazement, which kept her silent, Lucy listened
while Valencia taunted her "with standing in Anna Ruthven's shoes,"
and told her all she knew of the letter stolen by Mrs.
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