Wilkie Collins

Blind Love Wilkie Collins

OUNTJOY had decided on travelling to Honeybuzzard, as soon as he heard that Miss Henleywas staying with strangers in that town. Having had no earlier opportunity of preparing her to seehim, he had considerately written to her from the inn, in preference to presenting himselfunexpectedly at the doctor's house. How would she receive the devoted friend, whose proposal ofmarriage she had refused for the second time, when they had last met in London?The doctor's place of residence, situated in a solitary by-street, commanded a view, not perhapsencouraging to a gentleman who followed the medical profession: it was a view of the churchyard. The door was opened by a woman-servant, who looked suspiciously at the stranger. Without waitingto be questioned, she said her master was out. Mountjoy mentioned his name, and asked for MissHenley. The servant's manner altered at once for the better; she showed him into a small drawing-room, scantily and cheaply furnished. Some poorly-framed prints on the walls (a little out of place perhapsin a doctor's house) represented portraits of famous actresses, who had been queens of the stage inthe early part of the present century. The few books, too, collected on a little shelf above thechimney-piece, were in every case specimens of dramatic literature. "Who reads these plays?"Mountjoy asked himself. "And how did Iris find her way into this house?"While he was thinking of her, Miss Henley entered the room. Her face was pale and careworn; tears dimmed her eyes when Mountjoy advanced to meet her. In his presence, the horror of his brother's death by assassination shook Iris as it had not shaken heryet. Impulsively, she drew his head down to her, with the fond familiarity of a sister, and kissed hisforehead. "Oh, Hugh, I know how you and Arthur loved each other! No words of mine can say howI feel for you.""No words are wanted, my dear," he answered tenderly. "Your sympathy speaks for itself.