Behind Closed Doors

This was new in the history of their courtship and would have argued, perhaps, that she was beginning to recognize his appreciation of her if her after conduct had not given the lie to any such surmise. As it was, it rather seemed to show she had been in an unnatural condition, suggestive of incipient fever, perhaps, she was ill; and they were trying to keep it from him! The butler’s excuses, “Miss Gretorex is very much engaged, sir,” “Mrs. Gretorex’s regrets, sir, but Miss Gretorex has gone out on important business,” were but polite subterfuges to blind his eyes to the real truth. And yet to his calmer judgment how untenable was even this supposition. Had she been sick he could not have failed to have heard of it from some quarter. No, she was not sick. She was but indulging in a freak easily to be explained, perhaps, by her mother’s over-exacting code of etiquette; and in a few hours she was to be his wife and life-long companion, he would cease to think of it, and only remember that kiss...He had reached this point in his musings when they were suddenly interrupted. A tap was heard on his office door. With some irritation he arose. It was not time for his carriage and he had expressly ordered that no visitors or patients were to be received. Who could it be, then? A messenger from Genevieve? He sprang to the door at the thought. But before he could touch the knob, the door opened, and to his surprise and possible relief there entered an unknown man of middle age and prepossessing appearance, whose errand seemed to be one of importance though his manner was quiet and his voice startlingly gentle.