"But what's that for?" he asked, pointing at the open trunk in the middle of the floor.
Her eyes filled with tears. "I was packing to go back to Edinburgh."
"Oh, my dear, my dear!" he said solemnly. "I came near to imperilling a perfect thing." He took her face between his hands and was going to kiss her, but she started away from him.
"Oh, maircy! What cold hands!" she exclaimed.
"I've been out in the shed working at my motor-bicycle. It was freezing. And I made an awful mess of it, too, because I was blind and shaking with rage."
"You poor silly thing!" she cried lovingly. "Give me yon bits of ice!" She took both his hands and pressed them against her warm throat.
For a little time they remained so, until her trembling became too great for him to bear, and he whispered: "This is all it is! This is all it is!"
"What do you mean?" she murmured.
"What you fear ... is just like this. You will comfort my whole body as you are comforting my hands...."
She drooped, she seemed about to fall, but joy was a bright light on her face, and she answered loudly, plangently: "Then I shall not be afraid!" They swayed together, and she told him in earnest ecstasy: "I will marry you any day you like." When he answered, "No, no, I will wait," she jerked at his coat-lapels like an impatient child, and cried: "But I want to be married to you!" Then their lips met in a long kiss, and they travelled far into a new sphere of love.