A gust of wind swayed Christina's skirts, and Gavin stepped inside and closed the door, but stood holding the latch.
"And your poor Aunties!" cried Christina. She was angry with herself the moment she said it, for a look of anguish passed quickly over Gavin's face.
"They are very brave," he said simply. He paused, there was silence in the big warm kitchen.
"Won't you come in, just a minute, and say good-bye to John?" asked Christina. "Mother and Uncle Neil are gone to bed, but—"
"No, I have no time to-night, but I could not go without seeing you, just once, and saying good-bye," he whispered.
Christina's eyes suddenly stung with tears. "Oh, Gavin," she faltered, "I—I don't deserve it."
He shook his head to indicate that she was wrong, and again silence fell. Gavin glanced at his wrist watch. She noticed that his awkwardness had disappeared under his military training, he held himself with a new dignified bearing. "I must not be keeping you," he said, but it seemed as if he could not go. He stood looking down at her and she could not mistake the look in Gavin's eyes. Her own fell before them.
"Oh," she managed to whisper, "I have always wanted to tell you that I think it is so brave and so grand of you to go, and, ... oh, I hope you'll come back safe," she ended, faltering, and Gavin still stood unable to speak and looked at her as if he could never take his eyes away.
The loud, slow tick of the old clock marked off the minutes.
Suddenly Gavin put his fingers under the collar of his coat. "Could you—would you mind taking this as a little keepsake?" he whispered, handing her the regimental pin of the Blue Bonnets. She took it with grateful thanks.