"Yes," said Joan faintly.
"Well, then. I knew you did. I'm going to kiss you." He put his arms around her and kissed her very gently.
"Oh, how I love you!" he said, "and how good I'll be to you!"
"But we must be practical," said Joan wildly. "How can we marry? Everything's against it. I've no money. I'm nobody. Your mother----"
"Now you just leave my mother alone. Leave me to manage her--I know all about that----"
"I won't be engaged to you," Joan said firmly, "not for ages and ages--not for a year anyway."
"That's all right," said Johnny indifferently. "You can settle it any way you please--but no one's going to marry you but me, and no one's going to marry me but you."
He would have kissed her again, but Mrs. Preston and a young man came in.
"Now you shall come and speak to my mother," he said to her as they went out. "There's nothing to be afraid of. Just say 'Bo' to her as you would to a goose, and she'll answer all right."
"You won't say anything----" began Joan.