I saw him before I
left London.' His right hand was in his breast, seeking the ring;
but he checked it, as he thought: 'If I am to take it back, why
should I tell her of it?'
'And that made you more serious about it, didn't it, Eddy? And if
I had not spoken to you, as I have, you would have spoken to me? I
hope you can tell me so? I don't like it to be ALL my doing,
though it IS so much better for us.'
'Yes, I should have spoken; I should have put everything before
you; I came intending to do it. But I never could have spoken to
you as you have spoken to me, Rosa.'
'Don't say you mean so coldly or unkindly, Eddy, please, if you can
help it.'
'I mean so sensibly and delicately, so wisely and affectionately.'
'That's my dear brother!' She kissed his hand in a little rapture.
'The dear girls will be dreadfully disappointed,' added Rosa,
laughing, with the dewdrops glistening in her bright eyes. 'They
have looked forward to it so, poor pets!'
'Ah! but I fear it will be a worse disappointment to Jack,' said
Edwin Drood, with a start. 'I never thought of Jack!'
Her swift and intent look at him as he said the words could no more
be recalled than a flash of lightning can. But it appeared as
though she would have instantly recalled it, if she could; for she
looked down, confused, and breathed quickly.
'You don't doubt its being a blow to Jack, Rosa?'
She merely replied, and that evasively and hurriedly: Why should
she? She had not thought about it.
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