"I don't know exactly. At least, I haven't asked. Why?"
"We must decide at once if we're going away, that's all. Lulu says that every corner is booked already, everywhere."
"Yes, really, Mr. Temple. I would hardly believe it when Kath told me you hadn't fixed anything yet. We're going abroad as soon as Jim's thing is settled; I daresay it's not so full there. And meanwhile we're going to Ilfracombe, to my brother and his wife, for a fortnight. Jim must have a rest, poor boy."
"I expect we shall go somewhere ..." said Gareth slowly.
"Somewhere! Where?" from Kathleen.
"Well—where would you like to go?"
She laughed impatiently. "As if that had anything to do with it? Why do you pretend? I should like a holiday in Japan, or on a coral island."
"Japan ..." he mused indolently, unable to resist word-magic. "Ivory blossoms on a light-green sky.... Shall we go to Japan, Kathleen?"
Lulu stared. "Does he mean it?"
"We can afford it so well, can't we?" When Kathleen really craved for something—and her nature allowed nothing less than craving—it seemed to her violation to toss the sacred fancy idly as a toy-balloon. Her pride suffered that Gareth, so sensitive, could yet betray desire for what he made no effort to obtain.