“No, no,” she murmured—“not now and here: I am upset.” And, withdrawing her cheek, she gave him her hand to kiss.
It struck Edward that this was a somewhat poor substitute, more especially as she was wearing dog-skin gloves, whereon he must press his ardent lips. However, he made the best of it, and even repeated the salute, when a sound caused him to look up.
Now, the scene of this passionate encounter was in a lane that ran from the main road to the coast; moreover, it was badly chosen, for within three paces of it the lane turned sharply to the right. Down this path, still wrapped in silence, came Henry and Emma, and as Edward was in the act of kissing Ellen’s hand, they turned the corner. Emma was the first to perceive them.
“Oh!” she exclaimed, with a start.
Then Henry saw. “What the deuce!——” he said.
Ellen took in the situation at a glance. It was discomposing, even to a person of her considerable nerve; but she felt that on the whole nothing could have happened more opportunely. Recovering themselves, Henry and Emma were beginning to advance again, as though they had seen nothing, when Ellen whispered hurriedly to her fiancé:
“You must explain to my brother at once.”
“All right,” said Edward. “I say, Graves, I dare say you were surprised when you saw me kissing Ellen’s hand, weren’t you?”
“Yes, Mr. Milward, I was surprised.”
“Well, you won’t be any more when I tell you that we are engaged to be married.”