Page:Bianca, or, The Young Spanish Maiden (Toru Dutt).djvu/15

ing manner; Lady Moore loved her son passionately, but she was very undemonstrative. "This is quite unexpected Colin; I thought you were not coming till Wednesday." "I am not unwelcome, mother mine, am I?" asked he with his quiet smile. You know you are’not, my boy." "The fact is, I finished my business in London sooner than I expected, so I came home." He turned towards Miss Garcia; she gave him her hand with a quiet "How do you do?" Little Willie who was reclining on her lap, with his curly head heavy with sleep near her shoulder, murmured half asleep; "Kissme Co'in." "Come to me then Will,” and Lord Moore stretched his hands towards him; "No; I am s’eepy; kiss me now, bofo’e I s’eep." Lord Moore bent over the little face; his drooping brown hair almost touched Bianca’s forehead as ho kissed the child. There was a keen brightness in his hazel eyes, an unusual glow on his white forehead as he turned towards his mother. Her face was rigid and haughty as she made room for him beside her. She was the first to speak, and her voice was clear and cold, in spite of the polite mannor. "Miss Garcia you must feel cold with only that thin muslin dress on" "No,my Lady, the evening is warm." "And she looks so nice in white mamma," said Maggie smiling. "There you are wrong Margaret; white suits fair complexions, and Miss Garcia is a dark beauty, dark as a gipsy I declare." "Your father is Spanish, isn’t he Bianca?" "Sangur azul, Maggie,"—said Bianca, laughing. "Has he really Moorish blood in his veins?" "Yes,so it is believed." "But if you are Spanish how do you know English so well, Bianca?" Asked Maggie. "My paternal grandfather married an English lady, and my mother was an Englishwoman." Her voice lowered a little. "Your sister resembled your mother, I suppose; I only saw her once, she was very fair and beautiful." Bianca did not reply. Why should others speak of Inez, her and her father’s Inez. It was a strange feeling, but she felt as if no one had a right to speak of Inez except her father and her sister. She presently said "I must go home." Then added; "Will has fallen fast asleep." And she rose taking Willie gently in her arms. "Give him to me, he is too