"How long will it be before you can come again?"
"I don't know. You see, my father'll expect me to go home in the summer...."
"Oh!"
"But I might come for part of the hols. I'd like to!"
"Yes," she said, sliding one of her feet in front of her and regarding the tip of her shoe intently.
They did not speak for a few moments until he remembered that time was fleeting. "It's an awf'lly nice day," he said, and licked his lips.
"Yes, isn't it?..."
"Awf'lly nice," he continued and broke off lamely.
They could see the train coming into Coly station, and a sense of despair seized Henry when he thought that it would soon come into Whitcombe station and then go back again to the junction, carrying Ninian and him with it. He could feel his nervousness mounting up his legs until it began to gallop through his body.... He felt frightfully dry, and when he tried to speak, he could not do anything but cough. The train had started now from Coly station. He could see the white smoke rising from the engine's funnel almost in a straight line, so little wind was there in the valley.... "Oh, Lord!" he said to himself....
"What age are you?" he suddenly demanded of her.