Another instant and she will reach the drawing-room.
Queenie darts to the door to intercept her. She must not enter that room in which her husband is standing.
But as Queenie flies from the apartment by one door, Jess enters it by another.
For one instant she stands fairly transfixed, as her gaze encounters the tall, commanding figure standing there.
In the next she has reached his side with such a cry of intense delight that in spite of himself it has gone straight to his heart.
“My husband! oh, my husband!” And almost before he is aware of what is happening, two soft, white arms have been flung about his neck and a pair of rosy lips is pressed to his, and a world of ardent kisses is showered upon him, in a way which fairly takes his breath away.
“How delightful of you to come and take me by surprise like this,” Jess was crying, breathlessly and delightedly. “I was thinking of you just this minute, and that I would give anything in this world to see you.”
He feels that he must make some retort, but he is at a loss for words, and he can only articulate:
“Are you so very glad to see me again, little girl? Why is it—why?”
“Why?” echoes Jess, with a melodious little laugh like liquid sunshine. “Why, because I love you so. I have loved you more and more every hour and day that we have been apart, until I felt that I could not stand being away from you much longer, and now you are here, and I am so glad—so glad!”