The Miracle at St. Bruno's

He slipped his arm through mine. "Damask," he said, "I must talk to you very seriously.”

"Yes, Rupert.”

"I am going away. Lord Remus has offered me a farm. I shall manage it and in a short time it will be my own. Kate has prevailed on him.”

"Her marriage was a great blessing not only to her but to you.”

"Damask, you are growing bitter.”

"Circumstances change us all, doubtless.”

"There is still much that is good in life.”

"I see little at this time.”

"Well, it is a dark period through which we are passing. But it won't always be so.

The world we knew has gone. It is for us to build a new life.”

"You may well do that with your new farm. You will go away from here and forget us.”

"I shall never forget you. But my surroundings will be different. The problems of the present will, I know, impose themselves on the past.”

"It is easy for you.”

"I loved your father, Damask, and I love you."

 "I was his daughter. Do you think your love can be compared with mine?”

"Still it was love.”

I took his hand and pressed it. "I shall never forget what you risked to bring his head to me," I said. The tears were on my cheeks and he drew me to him and kissed them gently.

Suddenly I knew that if I could not find the great ecstasy I had dreamed of with Rupert, at least I could find comfort. I could leave this house. It would mean a great deal to me not to see my mother and Simon Caseman together. To leave this house... I had never thought to do it. I had dreamed of myself growing old in it, my children playing in these gardens as I had done; my father delighting in his grandchildren.

That dream could never become a reality. But Rupert was offering me consolation.

He was telling me that although I should mourn my father forever, I could start to make a new life for myself.

He said: "The farm is not far from here. Between these lands and Remus's estate-not far from Hampton. I shall be between you and Kate. We can meet often... if you decided not to come altogether. But I hope you will because I know, Damask, that I can look after you.”

"Rupert," I answered emotionally, "you are a good man. How I wish that I could love you as a husband should be loved.”

"It would come, Damask. In time it would come.”

I shook my head. "And if it did not? You would be cheated, Rupert.”

"You could never cheat anyone.”

"Perhaps you do not know me, for I sometimes feel I do not know myself. To leave here... Oh, Rupert, I had never thought of it. I visit my father's grave... frequently.”

"I know and I do not care for you to be wandering about the Abbey grounds alone.”

"You fear that there is some evil lurking there?”

"I fear desperate men might be lurking there.”

"Monks perhaps returning to their old home, or the spirits of murdered men?”

"I fear for you to go there. Damask, we could remove your father's remains. We could take them with us. We could make a sanctuary in our new home and there you could have that precious box with you always. You could make a shrine to his memory.”

"Oh, Rupert," I cried, "I think you understand me as no one ever did... since Father.”

"Then come with me, Damask. Come away from this house which is no longer your home, come away from a situation which has become distasteful to you.”

It seemed that I must. Yet I hesitated. It was not as I had always thought it should be. Was life always to be a compromise? I thought of Kate's marrying Lord Remus for what he could give her. Should I be doing the same if I married Rupert? Lord Remus gave Kate jewels, riches, a place at Court, and I had despised her for her mercenary motives. But if I married Rupert because he could take me away from a situation which had become intolerable to me was I not in like case?

"I am so unsure," I said. "I do not know what I should do. Be patient with me, Rupert.”

He pressed my hand gently. I could sense his elation. I knew he would always be patient.

"Think on it," he said. "You know I would not wish you to do anything which was distasteful to you. Remember too that it was his wish.”

I did remember it and it weighed greatly with me.

And that night I lay in my room and thought that I would marry Rupert, and I was ashamed because at one time I had believed he would have married me for the fortune I could bring him.

Now I was without that fortune and he still wished to marry me. I had misjudged him.

This made me feel very tender toward him.

Yet I could still not make up my mind.

I was sitting in my mother's walled rose garden thinking about the future when Simon Caseman came in. He took the seat beside me.

"By my faith," he said, "you are more beautiful with your hair half grown than you were when it reached past your waist.”

"As I was never very beautiful that need not be a great deal.”

"Your verbal darts ever amuse me.”

"I am pleased you can be so easily amused. It must be a blessing in this drab world.”

"Oh, come, stepdaughter, are you not unduly morbid?”

"Considering what has befallen me this last year, most certainly not.”

"I should like to see you happier.”