"Oh—I wasn't thinking—" She took her hand away suddenly as if the pillar had been a snake and stung her. Then she looked at it.
"How beautiful they make them!" She paused, absolutely grave. Then, "Oh, Ranny, you have got a nice house," she said.
"Have you seen it?"
"No. Not all of it." She spoke as if it had been a palace.
"Come in and have a look round," said Ranny.
"Well—"
There was distinct yielding in her voice this time. Winny was half caught.
"I do love looking at houses."
He lured her in. She came over the threshold as if on some delicious yet perilous adventure, with eyes that shone and with two little teeth that bit down her lower lip; a way she had when she attempted anything difficult and at the same time exciting. He showed her everything except the room she had seen already, the room with the love knots and the rosebuds where Violet and the Baby were. Winny admired everything with joy and yet with reverence, from the splendid overmantel in the front sitting-room to the hot-water tap in the bathroom.
"My word," Winny said, "what I'd give to have a bath like that!"