Though ordinarily Leonora would very much wish to know what treasures awaited between the soft covers, they lay limp and closed. And not the promise of the vision of a dozen angels with the likenesses of her cousin, or a score more with her own dark face, would have tempted her to turn one page of Mr. Blake’s book right now. For her cousin’s angelic countenance was before her in reality, and she had far more curiosity about the answers that would fall from those actual lips, than she had for any wisdom contained in any volume, from any author who had ever lived or written.“Why yes, of course,” Annabelle said calmly, although with some evident surprise, as though she were amazed that such a question need be asked at all. “Of course I intend to marry him. I have from the first.”“But you said ... or at least I thought you seemed to think he was reprehensible, you seemed to think I ought not encourage him....” Leonora faltered.“Why, of course,” Annabelle replied with a little smile that was not remotely angelic upon her pale lips, “because I wanted him, and I thought it wouldn’t do for you to get in my way.
