"Oh—Christopher!" she said, and gasped as if she had not breathed for a long time. "Oh—Christopher!"
He leaned up against her, stretching his warm tongue to reach her cheek, his whole body wriggling with gushing solicitude under her hand.
She looked down at him with the dazed eyes of one who has received a stunning blow. "I don't know what we shall do, my doggie," she said.
And then very suddenly she was on her feet, tense, palpitating, her head turned to listen. The gate had clicked again, and someone was coming up the path.
It was Dick, and he moved with the step of an eager man, reached the door, opened it, and entered. She heard him in the passage, heard his tread upon the threshold, heard his voice greeting her.
"Hullo, darling! All alone in the dark? I've had a beast of a day away from you."
His hands reached out and clasped her. She was actually in his arms before she found her voice.
"Dick! Dick! Please! I want to speak to you," she said.
He clasped her close. His lips pressed hers, stopping all utterance for a while with a mastery that would not be held in check. She could not resist him, but there was no rapture in her yielding. His love was like a flame about her, but she was cold—cold as ice. Suddenly, with his face against her neck, he spoke: "What's the matter, Juliet?"
She quivered in response, made an attempt to release herself, felt his arms tighten, and was still. "I have—found out—something," she said, her voice very low.