She put her hand into his waistcoat pocket and took out his watch. The sweet familiarity of the action entranced him. His eyes followed her fingers, and the newly conscious turn of her head as she looked at it.
‘Ten o’clock,’ she said. ‘Who’d have thought it?’
She rose, and again she abandoned herself to his arms. Then she left him suddenly and went before him, never looking back. He followed with the little lamp in his hand. At the foot of the stairs he stopped.
‘What’s the matter?’ she whispered, turning. ‘Aren’t you coming?’
‘There’s a step outside,’ he said. ‘Some one on the garden path.’
‘Whoever can it be at this time? Take the light to the door and see.’
The darkness of the staircase engulfed her as he opened the kitchen door and peered outside.
‘Who’s that?’ he called.
‘Is that you, Abner?’ a voice replied. ‘Now I thought I see’d a light. I guessed you’d have gone up over by this.’
‘What do you want, Mr Drew?’