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〃Have you done； Natalie？ I have something to say on my side if you
have。〃
〃What is it？〃
〃If things go on as they are going on now； shall I tell you how it will
end？ It will end in your being Turlington's wife。〃
〃Never！〃
〃So you say now； but you don't know what may happen between this
and Christmas…day。 Natalie； there is only one way of making sure that you
will never marry Richard。 Marry _me_。〃
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Miss or Mrs。？
〃Without papa's consent？〃
〃Without saying a word to anybody till it's done。〃
〃Oh； Launce！ Launce！〃
〃My darling； every word you have said proves there is no other way。
Think of it； Natalie； think of it。〃
There was a pause。 Natalie dropped her needle and thread； and hid her
face in her hands。 〃If my poor mother was only alive；〃 she said； 〃if I only
had an elder sister to advise me； and to take my part。〃
She was evidently hesitating。 Launce took a man's advantage of her
indecision。 He pressed her without mercy。
〃Do you love me？〃 he whispered； with his lips close to her ear。
〃You know I do； dearly。〃
〃Put it out of Richa rd's power to part us； Natalie。〃
〃Part us？ We are cousins： we have known each other since we were
both children。 Even if he proposed parting us； papa wouldn't allow it。〃
〃Mark my words； he _will_ propose it。 As for your father； Richard has
only to lift his finger and your father obeys him。 My love； the happiness of
both our lives is at stake。 〃He wound his arm round her； and gently drew
her head back on his bosom 〃 Other girls have done it； darling；〃 he
pleaded； 〃why shouldn't you？〃
The effort to answer him was too much for her。 She gave it up。 A low
sigh fluttered through her lips。 She nestled closer to him； and faintly
closed her eyes。 The next instant she started up； trembling from head to
foot； and looked at the sky…light。 Richard Turlington's voice was suddenly
audible on deck exactly above them。
〃Graybrooke； I want to say a word to you about Launcelot Linzie。〃
Natalie's first impulse was to fly to the door。 Hearing Launce's name
on Richard's lips； she checked herself。 Something in Richard's tone roused
in her the curiosity which suspends fear。 She waited； with her hand in
Launce's hand。
〃If you remember；〃 the brassy voice went on； 〃I doubted the wisdom
of taking him with us on this cruise。 You didn't agree with me； and； at your
express request； I gave way。 I did wrong。 Launcelot Linzie is a very
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Miss or Mrs。？
presuming young man。〃
Sir Joseph's answer was accompanied by Sir Joseph's mellow laugh。
〃My dear Richard！ Surely you are a little hard on Launce？〃
〃You are not an observant man； Graybrooke。 I am。 I see signs of his
presuming with all of us； and especially with Natalie。 I don't like the
manner in which he speaks to her and looks at her。 He is unduly familiar；
he is insolently confidential。 There must be a stop put to it。 In my position；
my feelings ought to be regarded。 I request you to check the intimacy
when we get on shore。〃
Sir Joseph's next words were spoken more seriously。 He expressed his
surprise。
〃My dear Richard； they are cousins； they have been playmates from
childhood。 How _can_ you think of attaching the slightest importance to
anything that is said or done by poor Launce？〃
There was a good…humored contempt in Sir Joseph's reference to 〃poor
Launce〃 which jarred on his daughter。 He might almost have been alluding
to some harmless domestic animal。 Natalie's color deepened。 Her hand
pressed Launce's hand gently。
Turlington still persisted。
〃I must once more requestseriously requestthat you will check this
growing intimacy。 I don't object to your asking him to the house when you
ask other friends。 I only wish you （and expect you） to stop his 'dropping
in；' as it is called； any hour of the day or evening when he may have
nothing to do。 Is that understood between us？〃
〃If you make a point of it； Richard； of course it's understood between
us。〃
Launce looked at Natalie； as weak Sir Joseph consented in those
words。
〃What did I tell you？〃 he whispered。
Natalie hung her head in silence。 There was a pause in the
conversation on deck。 The two gentlemen walked away slowly toward the
forward part of the vessel。
Launce pursued his advantage。
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Miss or Mrs。？
〃Your father leaves us no alternative；〃 he said。 〃The door will be
closed against me as soon as we get on shore。 If I lose you； Natalie； I don't
care what becomes of me。 My profession may go to the devil。 I have
nothing left worth living for。〃
〃Hush！ hush！ don't talk in that way！〃
Launce tried the soothing influence of persuasion once more。
〃Hundreds and hundreds of people in our situation have married
privatelyand have been forgiven afterward；〃 he went on。 〃I won't ask you
to do anything in a hurry。 I will be guided entirely by your wishes。 All I
want to quiet my mind is to know that you are mine。 Do； do； do make me
feel sure that Richard Turlington can't take you away from me。〃
〃Don't press me； Launce。〃 She dropped on the locker。 〃See！〃 she said。
〃It makes me tremble only to think of it！〃
〃Who are you afraid of； darling？ Not your father； surely？〃
〃Poor papa！ I wonder whether he would be hard on me for the first
time in his life？〃 She stopped； her moistening eyes looked up imploringly
in Launce's face。 〃Don't press me！〃 she repeated faintly。 〃You know it's
wrong。 We should have to confess it and then what would happen？〃 She
paused again。 Her eyes wandered nervously to the deck。 Her voice
dropped to its lowest tones。 〃Think of Richard！〃 she said； and shuddered at
the terrors which that name conjured up。 Before it was possible to say a
quieting word to her； she was again on her feet。 Richard's name had
suddenly recalled to her memory Launce's mysterious allusion； at the
outset of the interview； to the owner of the yacht。 〃What was that you said
about Richard just now？〃 she asked。 〃You saw something