She was sitting beside the garden brook on the little rustic seat Gilbert had built . Owen Ford stood before her , leaning against the bronze column of a yellow birch . He was very pale and his face bore the marks of the preceding sleepless night . Anne , glancing up at him , wondered if , after all , his summer had brought him the strength it should . Had he worked too hard over his book ? She remembered that for a week he had not been looking well . `` I 'm rather glad the doctor is away , '' said Owen slowly . `` I wanted to see you alone , Mrs. Blythe . There is something I must tell somebody , or I think it will drive me mad . I 've been trying for a week to look it in the face -- and I ca n't . I know I can trust you -- and , besides , you will understand . A woman with eyes like yours always understands . You are one of the folks people instinctively tell things to . Mrs. Blythe , I love Leslie . LOVE her ! That seems too weak a word ! '' His voice suddenly broke with the suppressed passion of his utterance . He turned his head away and hid his face on his arm . His whole form shook . Anne sat looking at him , pale and aghast .
She had never thought XXXXX this !
against at before beside besides of on over to with