“You coddle him too much.” She laughed:
“Pedagogue!” she laughed. “How do I coddle him?”
“I always find him nestling against your skirts. He must come with me one of these days: I should make him do some gymnastics.”
“Jules horse-riding and Christie gymnastics!” she exclaimed.
“Yes ... sport, in fact!” he answered, with a meaning look of fun.
She glanced back at him; and sympathy smiled from the depths of her gold-grey eyes. He felt thoroughly happy and, with the child still upon his knees, said:
“I have come to confess to you ... Madonna!”
Then, as though startled, he put the child away from him.
“To confess?”
“Yes.... There, Christie, go back to Mamma; I mustn’t keep you by me any longer.”