She looked straight into his eyes for a moment, smiling, and slightly bent towards him.
“I don’t know,” she whispered.
“My dearest!”
Quickly, eagerly, he took her in his arms and kissed her lips.
“Say you’ll marry me, Winnie?”
“I’ll do anything to make you happy.”
“Kiss me. I love you.”
Blushing, she put her lips to his, and the soft pressure made him tremble with delight. He seized her hands and kissed them in passionate gratitude, repeatedly. For a while they sat in silence. Winnie, all confused, was trying to realize what she had done; but Wroxham was overwhelmed with joy.
Then the Canon’s voice was heard on the stairs, singing to himself; and Winnie quickly tore herself from her lover.
“La donna è mobile,” sang the Canon, coming in; “Tra-la-la-la-la Tra-la-la-la-la.” He started when he saw the young couple sitting self-consciously in opposite corners of the sofa. “Hulloa, I thought you must have gone! I was detained longer than I expected.”