“I mean that if you go, I go too.”
“Victoria!”
“Well, I am here.”
“Did I hear aright?”
“I am within good hearing distance. You could not have misunderstood me very well.”
“Are you willing to brave death with me?”
“Yes, if you are still bent on suicide, but I would much prefer to live with you on good solid pork and potatoes. We could get more fun out of it. Oh, Roger, if you only knew how ridiculous you looked measuring off those fifteen paces.”
Now no person about to commit suicide likes to be laughed at, and as Victoria’s gay laugh rang out, Roger’s face looked uncommonly silly.
“Um,” he said gloomily, “how long had you been here before you spoke, Victoria?”
“Oh for quite a while, sir knight of the rueful countenance. I saw the doctor returning alone, so as I had something to whisper into your ear when no one was by, I hastened down to the old stone seat.”