“I can walk home all right now,” she stammered in reply to his anxious questioning. “If you wouldn’t mind carrying some of these things for me.”
He insisted on taking all the parcels, and the crowd, having jumped to the conclusion that he was the young woman’s husband began to dwindle away, one of the jokers remarking “It’s all over!” in a loud voice as he took himself off.
It was only about seven minutes’ walk home from there, and as the streets along which they had to pass were not very brilliantly lighted, Ruth was able to lean on Slyme’s arm most of the way. When they arrived home, after she had removed her hat, he made her sit down in the armchair by the fire, which was burning brightly, and the kettle was singing on the hob, for she had banked up the fire with cinders and small coal before she went out.
The baby was still asleep in the cradle, but his slumbers had evidently not been of the most restful kind, for he had kicked all the bedclothes off him and was lying all uncovered. Ruth obeyed passively when Slyme told her to sit down, and, lying back languidly in the armchair, she watched him through half-closed eyes and with a slight flush on her face as he deftly covered the sleeping child with the bedclothes and settled him more comfortably in the cot.
Slyme now turned his attention to the fire, and as he placed the kettle upon it he remarked: “As soon as the water boils I’ll make you some strong tea.”
During their walk home she had acquainted Slyme with the cause of her being in the condition in which he found her in the street, and as she reclined in the armchair, drowsily watching him, she wondered what would have happened to her if he had not passed by when he did.
“Are you feeling better?” he asked, looking down at her.
“Yes, thanks. I feel quite well now; but I’m afraid I’ve given you a lot of trouble.”
“No, you haven’t. Nothing I can do for you is a trouble to me. But don’t you think you’d better take your jacket off? Here, let me help you.”
It took a very long time to get this jacket off, because whilst he was helping her, Slyme kissed her repeatedly and passionately as she lay limp and unresisting in his arms.