until you met me.'

She raised her eyes, and, her look seeming to tell him that this was his
moment, he turned to see if they were watched. At their feet a pile of
plates and teacups slept in a broad flood of sunlight, and three rooms away
the boys on high ladders dusted the mugs.

'What a pretty child you must have been! I can fancy you with your black
hair falling about your shoulders. Had I known you then, I should have
taken you in my arms and kissed you. Do you think you would have liked me
to have kissed you?'

She raised her eyes again, and a vague feeling of how nice, how kind he
was, rushed through her, and perceiving still more clearly that this moment
was his moment, Lennox affected to examine a ring on her finger. The warm
pressure of his hand caused her to start, and she would have put him from
her, but his voice calmed her.

'Ah!' he said, 'had I known you then, I should have been in love with you.'

Kate closed her eyes, and abandoned herself to an ineffable sentiment of
weakness, of ravishment; and then, imagining that she was his, Lennox took
her in his arms and kissed her rudely. But quick, angry thoughts rushed to
her head at the first movement of his arms, and obeying an impulse in
contradiction to her desire, she shook herself free, and looked at him
vexed and humiliated.

'Oh, how very cross we are; and about a kiss, just a tiny, wee kiss!'

She stood staring at him, only half hearing what he said, irritated against