Page:A Virgin Heart.pdf/71

Rh t'aime!' and I should have said it without thinking, without knowing.

"Rose, I love you."

She shut her eyes, laid her head on the arm of the chair; for she was sitting on a low stool.

It was the ear that presented itself. M. Hervart kissed her ear slowly, savouring it, kiss by kiss, like an epicure over some choice shell-ﬁsh.

"She lets me do what I like. It's amusing...."

He kissed his way round her ear and halted next to the eye, which was shut.

"How soft her eyelid is!"

His lips travelled down her nose and settled at the corner of her mouth. Tickled by their touch, she smiled.

When he had thoroughly kissed the right side, she offered him the left; then, giving her lips to him frankly, she received his passionate kiss, returned it with all her heart, and got up.

She smiled without any embarrassment. She was happy and very little disturbed.

"There," she said to herself. "Now I'm married."