April's Lady

"My darling girl, what can it matter what he thinks? A ridiculous headstrong old man in one scale, and----"

"But it does matter. I want to convince him that I am not--not--what he believes me to be."

"Then come over to England and see him."

"No--never! I shall never go to England. I shall stay in Ireland always. My own land; the land whose people he detests because he knows nothing about them. It was one of his chief objections to your marriage with me, that I was an Irish girl!"

She stops short, as though her wrath and indignation and contempt is too much for her.

"Barbara," says Monkton, very gently, but with a certain reproach, "do you know you almost make me think that you regret our marriage."

"No, I don't," quickly. "If I talked for ever I shouldn't be able to make you think that. But----" She turns to him suddenly, and gazes at him through large eyes that are heavy with tears. "I shall always be sorry f