The Man in Possession — page 304: what you’re looking at

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

THE MAN IN POSSESSION. 299 Kate raised her cup to her lips with unsteady hand and drank its contents. He brought her the plate of cakes. ‘‘ You must eat,” he said in a matter-of-fact voice that sounded strange and hard. ‘‘It is absurd to think you can bear the wear and strain of sick-nursing without keeping yourself up. But women are such unreason- able creatures.” The change in his manner affected her. She saw that whatever they might both feel, the resolve to betray nothing in speech was a mutual resolve. Without a word she took what he gave her. The blanched look left her face, and some natural colour came back to her lips. ‘‘I suppose we are unreasonable,” she said in answer to his remark. ‘‘ But I have been obedient now. And I feel really much better.” ‘‘T wish I could say you looked it. You had better lie down again. Let me arrange your cushions for you—and then, I will leave you to rest.” She let him do as he wished, though his deft and gentle touch set every nerve quivering. The one thought in her mind was that it could not last much longer—he would soon go, and then she might give way as she pleased. She leant back against the cushions, and a little tired sigh escaped her. Tom regarded her silently, and then moved the table away and took the chair beside her couch. | ‘“‘T suppose,” he said, ‘‘I am only boring you by staying here, but it will be a long—long time before we meet again. When I last saw you, you told me dg COMicloe (Sri C(O)