“Yes. It’s awfully jolly of you to take it like this.”
She smiled briefly.
“When it comes to war,” she said, “we stand aside and yield your sex first place. It’s your hour. You’ve a right to consideration. But for the war, I would rather you had waited—years.”
“You don’t mean that?” he said, and scrutinised her closely. “There is a little distrust at the back of your mind which I haven’t succeeded in allaying.”
She changed colour, showing signs of embarrassment, and turned away a little disconcerted at this outspoken attack.
“Do you suppose any mother ever thinks a man good enough for her girl?” she asked with a slightly nervous laugh.
“If that’s all...” he said, and waited.
She faced round again and held out both her hands to him in an impulsive appeal.
“You will be good to her?” she cried... “Oh! you will be good to her?”
“Surely,” he answered earnestly, “you know I will be?” and took her hands and kissed them.