"Ah, me, if we could always be like this!" Vera said.
"You and I would be happy in any circumstances," said Geoffrey thoughtfully. "Only I should like to see something of the world."
"What, go away and leave me all alone, dearest?"
Geoffrey smiled at this innocent coquetry. He touched the smooth satin cheek caressingly. Vera only wanted him to disclaim any such intention and he knew it, too. There was no deception about the matter, but they were none the less happy for that.
"Of course not," Geoffrey declared. "I should take you with me wherever I went. If we could only get the bar removed I should like to travel. I should like to see men and cities, and measure my strength with my fellows. I should like to go into Parliament. Ah, if we could only get the bar removed!"
"If we only could," Vera sighed. "But I can't imagine that they will touch us. We are so young and so innocent of wrong-doing. And yet this morning——"
Vera paused, half afraid of betraying Ralph Ravenspur's confidence.
"Only this morning you were a bit afraid. Confess it."
"I was, Geoff. I felt strange when I awoke in the night. I felt cold and like death when I awoke to-day, and then I fainted."