But now? with his momentary cult of the
fresh air, he was delighted at her admirable simplicity. He
looked at her as she stood by the pool's edge. She was got up
smart, as she phrased it, and she reminded him of some brilliant
flower that has no leaves of its own, but blooms abruptly out of
a world of green.
"Who found you out?"
"Charlotte," she murmured. "She was stopping with us. Charlotte--
Charlotte."
"Poor girl!"
She smiled gravely. A certain scheme, from which hitherto he had
shrank, now appeared practical.
"Lucy!"
"Yes, I suppose we ought to be going," was her reply.
"Lucy, I want to ask something of you that I have never asked
before."
At the serious note in his voice she stepped frankly and kindly
towards him.
"What, Cecil?"
"Hitherto never--not even that day on the lawn when you agreed to
marry me--"
He became self-conscious and kept glancing round to see if they
were observed. His courage had gone.
"Yes?"
"Up to now I have never kissed you.
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