“Then at least let me carry away the glad assurance that you care for me; that will suffice, for, if you love me, you will wait for me.”
“You—you will find me waiting,” she whispered; and then her lips trembled under the kiss that he put upon them.
But there was a sound at the door, a warning rattle of the knob, and out of consideration for her he let her go.
“Aunt Clevering is calling you, Betty,” Joscelyn said, but she did not enter. “She’ll be there directly, Aunt Clevering,” she called from the front door. And presently, when Betty passed her with Eustace’s colours flaming in her cheeks and his roses on her breast, she knew that Redcoat and not Continental had won this battle in her parlour.
“She would not promise me,” Eustace said, wringing her hand; “but I am so happy, for there are some things that are better than a spoken promise.”