It seemed to Laline that all her life through she had been waiting for this moment, and that no future happiness could equal this of the first kiss of love given and returned.
"To think that I have let you grow to twenty before I claimed you!" he exclaimed, while they stood together before the fire and he stroked her soft hair as she pillowed her cheek on his shoulder. "Ever since I first came to Mrs. Vandeleur's, and you dropped that magic crystal at sight of me, I have dreamed of this moment. For though you seemed to be so strangely afraid of me in life, in my dreams you were always just as you are now, with my arms about you and your head on my shoulder; and I knew the moment would soon come when my dreams would come true. From the very first I knew that you belonged to me by right and must be mine some day."
"That is only because you happened to take a fancy to me," she protested, perversely. "Supposing that I had been married to some one else, where would your presentiments have been then?"
"Ah, but you couldn't have looked as you did if you had been married to any one else, or if you had loved any one else! I know—I am certain that you never cared for any one before. But tell me so; I like to hear it."
She laid her hands upon his shoulders and drew a little away from him, looking earnestly into his eyes.
"I solemnly swear," she said, "that I have never in my life known what it was to love before, and that I love you with my whole heart! There—will that satisfy you?"
"And when will you be my wife?"
"Oh, not for a long time yet."
"Why not? Don't you wish to be always with me?" he demanded, jealously.