But almost immediately she controlled
herself, smiled at him again, and went.
That night various changes were made at Tallyn. Diana's maid unpacked,
in the room communicating with Marsham's; and Diana, pale and composed,
made a new arrangement with Oliver's male nurse. She was to take the
nursing of the first part of the night, and he was to relieve her at
three in the morning. To her would fall the administration of the
new medicine.
* * * * *
At eleven o'clock all was still in the house. Diana opened the door of
Oliver's room with a beating heart. She wore a dressing-gown of some
white stuff; her black hair, released from the combs of the day, was
loosely rolled up, and curled round her neck and temples. She came in
with a gentle deliberate step; it was but a few hours since the ceremony
of the morning, but the tranformation in her was instinctive and
complete. To-night she was the wife--alone with her husband.
She saw that he was not asleep, and she went and knelt down beside him.
"Oliver, darling!"
He passed his hand over her hair.
"I have been waiting for you--it is our wedding night.
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