"My engagement? But I'm not engaged—that is, I mean I haven't accepted him."
"You haven't accepted him?"
There was a tremendous knocking of Hope at the door of Lionel's heart.
"Not yet," she answered. "It is ten days since he asked me and I have given him no answer."
Lionel stared at her in blank amazement. Ten days ago! That was the day when he had met Kate on the golf course and had held her in his arms and thought she had fainted.
"That day? Kate, you don't mean it? You can't mean—do you know what day that was?"
Suddenly she caught both of his hands in hers. "Yes, of course I know, Lionel. It was there on the golf links—under the chestnut tree—in the dark—that he asked me to marry him—the man I love and—and I'm waiting to answer him here—now—this very minute! Now do you understand?"
For a moment Lionel was quite dazed. It was as if he had bumped his head against a rainbow.
"I say, Kate," he faltered, "this isn't a joke, is it? Do you know what you're saying? Are you going to be my wife?"
Kate pulled the ring off her third finger, the one and only ring she had on, and placed it on Lionel's little finger. It was a signet ring with a small engraved seal of chrysophrase.