He kissed her mouth, and did at last smile.
'And now won't we go to the fire and be cosy?' she asked, her arm in his.
'By the way, who ordered the fire?' he inquired in his ordinary voice.
'I don't know. It was lit when I came up. Oughtn't it to have been?'
'Not without orders. It must have been that Lizzie. I'll ring and find out——'
'Oh, don't ring!' exclaimed Lucy, catching his hand,—she felt she couldn't bear any more ringing. 'If you do she'll come, and I want us to be alone together.'
'Well, whose fault is it we haven't been alone together all this time?' he asked.
'Ah, but we're friends now—you mustn't go back to that any more,' she said, anxiously smiling and drawing his hand through her arm.
He allowed her to lead him to the arm-chair, and sitting in it did at last feel justified in taking her on his knee.
'How my own Love spoils things,' he said, shaking his head at her with fond solemnity when they were settled in the chair.