He did not look angry, as she had feared he
might, or moody; and though he avoided her eye at first, his face was
resolute and kind.
"Geoff has told me," were his first words. "I know from what he said that
you, and he too, are afraid that I shall make myself disagreeable; so I've
come in to say that I shall do nothing of the kind."
"Dear Clarence, that wasn't what Geoff meant, or I either," said Clover,
with a rush of relief, and holding out both her hands to him; "what we
were afraid of was that you might be unhappy."
"Well," in a husky tone, and holding the little hands very tight, "it
isn't easy, of course, to give up a hope. I've held on to mine all this
time, though I've told myself a hundred times that I was a fool for doing
so, and though I knew in my heart it was no use. Now I've had two days to
think it over and get past the first shock, and, Clover, I've decided. You
and Geoff are the best friends I've got in the world. I never seemed to
make friends, somehow. Till you came to Hillsover that time nobody liked
me much; I don't know why. I can't get along without you two; so I give
you up without any hard feeling, and I mean to be as jolly as I can about
it. After all, to have you at the High Valley will be a sort of happiness,
even if you don't come for my sake exactly," with an attempt at a laugh.
"Clarence, you really are a dear boy! I can't tell you how I thank you,
and how I admire you for being so nice about this.
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