"I oughtn't to have started this subject, Babs," he said, coming back to her side. "If it makes things easier in any way, I'll promise you solemnly never to ask you that question until you give me leave."
She opened her arms a second time. This time he leaned forward and kissed her.
"Thank you, darling!"
"And now I'm going to give you your beef-tea. What made you talk like this, Babs?"
"I wanted to know that you really loved me."
"You knew that before."
"I didn't! No, Eric, when you said good-bye that night——"
Something in his expression stopped her. He had wholly lost sight of their earlier contention, and it was coming back to him—unsettled.
"I'm afraid things are very much where they were that night," he said.
"If I don't promise to marry you, you'll leave me? I can't promise, Eric—yet."