"You beast, George!" Sonia burst out with a concentrated venom that abashed me.
O'Rane glanced in momentary surprise at the rigid indignant little figure with the clenched fists and bitten lip. Then he caught her up in his arms.
"Bambina, you're the only person in the whole world who loves me. George couldn't help himself, though; I was out for trouble. And I could have knocked him down and broken every bone in his body if I'd wanted to—just as I could now. Only he was right and I was wrong. Kiss me good-night, sweetheart."
He lowered her gently till her feet touched the ground, but sudden shyness had come over her, and she would only hold out a hand.
"Clearly I'm in the way," I said, as I moved towards the house.
"I'm coming too," Sonia called out. "No, David, you're grown up now."
He snorted indignantly.
"That's a rotten reason. Are you never going to kiss me again? This year?" She shook her head. "Next year? Some time?"
"Some time. Perhaps."
She ran into the house, and O'Rane and I took one more turn along the terrace before following her.