He was very patient for about five minutes, and then the soft, white cheek on his shoulder tempted him beyond his strength, and he bent down and kissed it with more vehemence than he realized.
Lady Gwendolyn stirred, then, and it seemed as if she had been dreaming of him, for his name rose to her lips, and as he drew her closer, baby and all, she opened her eyes quite wide, put up her lips to be kissed like a child, and said, very softly:
“I am glad you have come, papa; baby and I were wanting you badly.”
CHAPTER XXVI.
A LONG EXPLANATION.
“Well, my love,” said Sir Lawrence, when the first rapture of reunion was over, and his wife was leaning languidly against him, like one faint with too much joy, “are you going to take me on trust now, after having shown such poor faith in me hitherto?”
She looked up at him with a shy smile.
“I am sure you will tell me of your own accord what it is right I should know.”
“Exactly; and I only regret, dear Gwen, that I was so foolishly sensitive in the beginning as to withhold it. But there are some things it is so hard to tell.”
“Then keep silent, Lawrence.”