“As far as that is concerned, I do,” he returned.
“I expected you would do so, and your wife is so unmindful of this. You love her, I suppose?”
The engineer made no answer to this query.
“It is evident enough you do,” observed his companion.
“I did. It was impossible for me to do otherwise. When I first made her acquaintance I thought her the most charming creature I had ever seen.”
She placed her hand on his, and looked earnestly into his face.
He grasped her hand and drew her towards him. Her head fell upon his shoulder, and he inhaled the fragrance of her breath. A tremour seemed to creep through his frame; he placed his arm round her neck, and pressed his lips to hers in one long, lingering kiss.
She made no resistance.
Presently she wound her arms round him and returned the embrace. She breathed into his ear words of endearment, and Gatliffe was fairly enthralled; his hand accidentally came in contact with her bosom.
“You will not leave me to-night, dearest?” she murmured. “It is too late for you to think of returning home. You will not be cruel enough to leave me all alone after this brief interval of happiness?”