I Forbid the Banns! — page 282: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

272 ‘“7T FORBID THE BANNS ?#” and entreating me every now and again not to let anyone know that he had told me.” She laughed, but Julian did not laugh. He drove steadily on, his face remaining as solemn as Sir Ecroyd’s could pos- sibly have been while communicating the secrets of the cabinet councils to Bertha. She felt repressed and chilled by his solemnity. It was out of place, she thought. It appeared to her that some- thing had occurred to put him out during the day. She wondered what it could be. Surely he was not foolish enough to think that she was annoyed at the insolent way in which the county ladies with the handled spectacles had stared at her! He scarcely exchanged a word with her while they were driving to the Court, and at dinner also he was silent. Well, if he meant to be serious, she would be sympathetic with his mood, she thought ; soshe began to talk to him on a subject to which she had been giving serious considera- tion during some days. ‘¢T want to have your opinion regarding Eric Vicars,” she said, when they were in the drawing room after dinner. The topic being a serious one was, she believed, very hap- pily chosen by her. He lifted his head up suddenly, and looked at hersteadily. She had never seen such an expression on his face before. It was a searching look—a look of suspicion—of distrust, it seemed to her. “Why should you look at mein that way ?” she asked, laying her hand on the back of one of his. “What is my opinion worth to you, when you are thinking of that man?” said he. ‘‘ You know it is worth nothing.”’ “That is distinctly unkind on your part, Julian,” said she. “Tt is almost cruel of you to talk to me likethat. I know you have shown yourself once before to be sensitive on the CONNIE NOOLKS (€(0)