And when she put the finishing touches
to the bandages, and quite by chance, of course, their eyes met, he
looked at her as if he never meant to leave off looking at her, as if
he never meant to do anything else but look at her for all eternity.
Whether she understood as much or not, is impossible to say. Shiel
asked himself the question over and over again before the day was out,
and in his sleep, and during the next day, and for many days
afterwards. Could she tell how much he admired her? How much he
worshipped her? All that he was prepared to do for her sweet sake? All
this he asked himself repeatedly, and went on thinking of her when he
knew he ought never to have thought of her at all.
"I'm sure your hands are more comfortable now. Won't you go into the
garden and see how the work is progressing?" she said. "Or if you are
afraid Father will want you to dig again, perhaps you would like to go
into his study and read the papers."
"I should like to stay here and listen to you singing," he said.
"Mayn't I do that?"
"You might," she said, "but I have to go out."
"Then I'll stay here till you return," he said, "I've never been in
such a delightful room."
"What do you think of Shiel Davenport?" Gladys remarked to her aunt a
few minutes later. "I don't think I've ever met such an extraordinary
young man. He does nothing but stare at me, and when I ask him to do
one thing he suggests doing another.
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