“Now you’d better clear. Reveal yourselves to the family.... There, Katherine, my dear, give me a kiss. Don’t neglect me or I shall poison the villain.... There, there—God bless you.”
He watched them depart with real affection both for them and for himself.
“I’m not such a bad father after all,” he thought as he settled down into his chair.
Outside the study door, in the dark corner of the little passage, Philip kissed Katherine. Her lips met his with a passion that had in it complete and utter self-surrender.
They did not speak.
At last, drawing herself gently away from him, she said: “I’ll tell Mother—I think it would be better not for both of us....”
“Yes,” he whispered back, as though they were conspirators. “I don’t think I’ll face them all now—unless you’d like me to help you. I’ll come in to-night.”
With a strange, fierce, almost desperate action she caught his arm and held him for a moment with his cheek against hers.
“Oh! Philip ... my dear!” Her voice caught and broke. They kissed once again, and then, very quietly, went back into the world.