"Will you love me?" he said fiercely.
"No!"
"Will you?"
"Yes.... Let me go!" she gasped.
"Will you love me in the way I mean? Can you?"
"Yes. I do. I—have, long since.... Let me go!"
"Then—kiss me."
She looked up at him a moment, slowly put both arms around his neck: "Now," she breathed faintly, "release me."
And at the same instant he saw Geraldine descending the stairs.
Kathleen saw her, too; saw her turn abruptly, re-mount and disappear. There was a moment's painful silence, then, without a word, she picked up her lace skirts, ran up the stairway, and continued swiftly on to Geraldine's room.