She ran to the bush , and , after careful deliberation , selected a perfect half-open bud and brought it to him -- a white bud with a faint , sunrise flush about its golden heart . `` Thank you . It is as beautiful as -- as a woman I know , '' Eric said . A wistful look came into her face at his words , and she walked with a drooping head across the orchard to the bench . `` Kilmeny , '' he said , seriously , `` I am going to ask you to do something for me . I want you to take me home with you and introduce me to your uncle and aunt . '' She lifted her head and stared at him incredulously , as if he had asked her to do something wildly impossible . Understanding from his grave face that he meant what he said , a look of dismay dawned in her eyes . She shook her head almost violently and seemed to be making a passionate , instinctive effort to speak . Then she caught up her pencil and wrote with feverish haste : `` I can not do that . Do not ask me to . You do not understand . They would be very angry . They do not want to see any one coming to the house . And they would never let me come here again . Oh , you do not mean it ? '' He pitied her for the pain and bewilderment in her eyes ; but he took her slender hands in his and said firmly , `` Yes , Kilmeny , I do mean it . It is not quite right for us to be meeting each other here as we have been doing , without the knowledge and consent of your friends . You can not now understand this , but -- believe me -- it is so . '' She looked questioningly , pityingly into his eyes .
What she read there seemed to convince her , XXXXX she turned very pale and an expression of hopelessness came into her face .
about across after as at for from in that to