"Jake! Jake! You've forgotten something."
"What's that?" said Jake.
She told him amid many fat chuckles. "Why, you've kissed me, and you haven't kissed your wife. Come, now, that's not right, and you but just married. I know you're wanting to, so don't be shy! I've been a bride myself, and I know all about it."
She would have withdrawn her hand from Jake's arm, but he would not suffer it.
"No, no!" he said, with a careless laugh. "We don't do our kissing in public. Guess it isn't a genial enough atmosphere either. Come along, Mother! You'll perish in here."
He led her from the room, still without glancing in Maud's direction, and drew her along the narrow passage to the door of the parlour.
Maud followed with a stateliness that veiled a burning embarrassment.
She listened for Bunny's voice at the opening of the door, and instantly heard it raised in cracked remonstrance.
"Here, I say! Don't bring anyone in here! Oh, it's you, Jake! I thought it was Maud. I thought----"
His voice suddenly ended in what she felt to be the silence of disgust, and Jake's accents very measured, very determined, took up the tale.