He looked round at her with a kind smile.
"Just what I want to have with you! 'Les beaux esprits se rencontrent'—and we both want exactly the same thing! Dear little girl, how sensible you are! Of course we must talk—about the future."
A lovely radiance lit up her face.
"That is what I thought you would wish," she said—"Now that the portrait is finished."
"Well,—all but a touch or two," he rejoined—"I shall ask a few people to come here and see it before it leaves London. Then it must be property packed in readiness for Paris before—before I go—"
Her eyes opened in sudden terrified wonderment.
"Before you go—where?"
He laughed a little awkwardly.
"Oh—only a short journey—on business—I will explain when we have our talk out—not now—in a day or two—"
He left the easel, and coming to where she sat, lifted her in his arms and folded her close to his breast.