Anne Bronte: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

33. CHAPTER XXXIII (continued)

My knees trembled under me; my brain swam round. I was ready to faint. She must not see me thus. I shrunk among the bushes, and leant against the trunk of a tree to let her pass.

'Ah, Huntingdon!' said she reproachfully, pausing where I had stood with him the night before - 'it was here you kissed that woman!' she looked back into the leafy shade. Advancing thence, he answered, with a careless laugh, -

'Well, dearest, I couldn't help it. You know I must keep straight with her as long as I can. Haven't I seen you kiss your dolt of a husband scores of times? - and do I ever complain?'

'But tell me, don't you love her still - a little?' said she, placing her hand on his arm, looking earnestly in his face - for I could see them, plainly, the moon shining full upon them from between the branches of the tree that sheltered me.

'Not one bit, by all that's sacred!' he replied, kissing her glowing cheek.

'Good heavens, I must be gone!' cried she, suddenly breaking from him, and away she flew.

There he stood before me; but I had not strength to confront him now: my tongue cleaved to the roof of my mouth; I was well-nigh sinking to the earth, and I almost wondered he did not hear the beating of my heart above the low sighing of the wind and the fitful rustle of the falling leaves. My senses seemed to fail me, but still I saw his shadowy form pass before me, and through the rushing sound in my ears I distinctly heard him say, as he stood looking up the lawn, - 'There goes the fool! Run, Annabella, run! There - in with you! Ah, - he didn't see! That's right, Grimsby, keep him back!' And even his low laugh reached me as he walked away.