“I will go in for a few minutes,” she said, at the foot of the steps. “Are you not coming, too?”
He had stopped. “Not just now, Lyddy. I think I'll run up to Tom's flat and smoke a pipe with him. Thanks, old girl, for the happy day we've had. You don't mind if I leave you here?”
Her heart gave a great throb of relief. It was best to have him out of the way for the time being.
“No, indeed,” she said. “Do go and see Tom. I shan't be here long. We have had a glorious day, haven't we?” There was something wistful in her smile as she held out her hand to him.
He searched her face with tired, yearning eyes.
“We have thousands of them ahead of us, Lyddy—days that will be all our own, with nothing else in them but ourselves. I—I wish we could begin them to-morrow, after all.”
A flush mounted to her cheek.
“Good-bye, Freddy.”
He seemed reluctant to release her hand; her hand was cold, but her eyes were shining with a glorious warmth.
“I—I may run in to see you this evening,” he said. “You won't mind?”