Page:Love and Mr. Lewisham – Wells (1899).djvu/308

296 "Dear," whispered Lewisham. "Dear."

"And to have her—"

"Dear," he vowed, "I have been a brute. I will end all that. I will end all that."

He took her suddenly into his arms and kissed her.

"Oh, I know I'm stupid," she said.

"You're not. It's I have been stupid. I have been unkind, unreasonable. All to-day— I've been thinking about it. Dear! I don't care for anything—. It's you. If I have you nothing else matters.  Only I get hurried and cross. It's the work and being poor. Dear one, we must hold to each other. All to-day.—It's been dreadful"

He stopped. They sat clinging to one another.

"I do love you," she said presently with her arms about him. "Oh! I do—do—love you."

He drew her closer to him.

He kissed her neck. She pressed him to her.

Their lips met.

The expiring candle streamed up into a tall flame, flickered, and was suddenly extinguished. The air was heavy with the scent of roses.