Carteret smiled at her.
"It has not been altogether easy to hold my peace, dearest witch," he said. "The seven devils of desire—of which you knew nothing, bless you"—"I'm not sure that I do know nothing," Damaris put in quietly. She looked him over from head to heel, and the wonder of her great eyes deepened.
"It isn't wrong?" she said, brokenly, hoarsely. "I don't think it can be wrong?"
Then, "You will be good to my brother, to Darcy Faircloth, and let me see him quite, quite often!"
And lastly, her lips trembling:
"It is beautiful, more beautiful than I ever knew about, to have you for quite my own, Colonel Sahib."