The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900 ... - Gredos

The Salamanca Corpus: Yeoman Fleetwood (1900)
She turned and faced Simon again, blushing still, but smiling with a whimsical kind of
triumph. They made an odd contrast; Simon leaning forward, his strong face
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all astir with emotion, his eyes gazing steadfastly, it might be a little sternly, at the
wayward, bewitching creature at his side — this new Rachel, who had brought back
with her from the great world of which he knew nothing, a host of fascinating airs and
graces which, in spite of his disapproval, riveted his chains more firmly. The insight of
love told him that the atmosphere of artificiality with which she had surrounded herself,
even in this quiet green nook, was as uncongenial to her as it was to him; childlike, she
but aped the tone and manners of those amid whom she had been recently thrown,
pattering off her lesson with delight at her own proficiency, but not, he felt sure, laying
it to heart.
“It was for this, I suppose," he said quietly, “that you returned sooner than you intended.
Well, thank Heaven, you are here!"
“I'm not at all so sure that you do well to thank Heaven,” responded Rachel, shrugging
her shoulders.
“I am very much in the position of a fox that has been run to earth. I have but this
morning received a note from Sir Walter announcing that he has come here after me. He
is actually staying at the Hen and Chicken Inn but five miles from here.”
"Well, what matters that?" said Simon. "It is to be presumed that in your own father's
house you are safe. And there are others besides him ready and able to defend you!"
“Ah, that is just the point I wanted to come to; but we must not go too fast. First of all I
must inform you that I am most anxious to keep this business of the wager from the
knowledge of my papa and mamma. This complicates matters, you observe."
“Must it be so? I should have thought that to your mother at least"
"You would have thought wrong, Mr. Simon. My
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