Now the moon rose, clear at last above the tree tops, and gleamed strangely into the eyes bent upon her face. His lips were smiling a faint fixed smile. His teeth glinted. The two faces gazed at one another, floating wan upon darkness.
The web had broken. Roddy had shaken himself free and come close at last. The whole of their past lives had led them inevitably to this hour.
‘Oh, Roddy, I love your hair....’ Her hand went up and stroked it; and he shut his eyes. ‘I love your eyes.’
‘I love you all—every bit of you.’
Breathless, sure of him at last, with a delicious last-minute postponement of his embrace she moved away, softly laughing.
‘Roddy, how much do you like me? This much?’
She held out her hands, parting them slowly.
‘More than that.’
‘This much?’
He copied her, laughing eagerly but silently.