“No, no. Leave it me to think of you as always doing the right thing. I want my memory of you undimmed. It must be good-bye. It must.”
“I cannot say it.”
“There is no other word to say, Bourgwan. No other word. Do you know how hard you are making this for me?” she added gently after a pause.
I caught her and held her passionately.
“You love me?”
Again she raised her face, now close to mine, and gazed into my eyes frankly.
“If I did not, should I care?” she whispered.
Slowly I bent my head till my lips touched hers, and as they met she yielded to me and kissed me in return, and then let her head rest on my shoulder.
“Oh, how you make me wish I were a coward,” she murmured. “It is harder than ever; but it must be good-bye.”
Gently she drew away and put her hands in mine as before.