She saw that he was
moved, and wondered within herself at her own utter lack of emotion. Ever
since she had lain against Bill Warden's breast, the wild sweet rapture
of his hold had seemed to paralyze in her all other feeling. She knew
only the longing for his presence, the utter emptiness of a world that
held him not.
She drove to the church with her hand in Jack's, Adela talking
incessantly the whole way while they two sat in silence. It was a bare
building in the heart of the town, but its bareness did not convey any
chill to her. She was already too numbly cold for that.
She went up the aisle between Jack and Adela, because the latter
good-naturedly remarked that she might as well have as much support as
she could get. But before they reached the altar-steps Fletcher Hill came
to meet them, and Adela dropped behind.
He also looked for a moment closely into Dot's face, then very quietly he
took her cold hand from Jack and drew it through his arm. She glanced at
him with a momentary nervousness as Jack also fell behind.
Then some unknown force drew her as the magnet draws the needle, and she
looked towards the altar. A man was standing by the steps awaiting her.
She saw the free carriage of the great shoulders, the deep fire of the
blue eyes. And suddenly her heart gave a wild throb that was anguish, and
stood still.
Fletcher Hill's arm went round her.
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