“N-no, I don’t think so.”

“How sad. And mine, if they had not been removed, would have burned so ardently.”

“What’s ardently?”

“You know, hotly, pas—— No.” This was awkward. “But I like your eyes, whether they are brown or blue.”

“You are really quite nice, John, an’ I think I like you.”

“No more than that?”

“Perhaps.”

And his hand was in hers. Better to ignore it at first.

“Perhaps?”

“Well, I don’t know.”