“And what difference does that make? Pray, do they invade your sitting room at this hour of the night?”
“No—but Regina——”
“Can put you to bed, as usual. I shall have gone, you see. But I can come back. There are such things as latch-keys, aren’t there?”
“If you should be caught!” Her heart swooped in delightful fear.
“But I shan’t,” he countered triumphantly. “In the morning I shall creep out long before your lordly butler is awake. Surely, you can’t refuse me anything to-night?”
Her laugh was smothered against his breast. She could feel his heart knocking against her lips.
“Romeo and Juliet all over again, without even omitting the nurse!” she murmured. “It is really awfully unoriginal of us, you know.”
His lips within the brazen gold of her hair, he laughed exultantly.
A few minutes later the street door closed with rather unnecessary emphasis. Roused from her doze in Anne’s bedroom, Regina started up thankfully. The Signorino was gone. That was good. That was as it should be. Now her lady could have a reposeful night. She had looked so weary this evening!