"Well," she said airily, swinging around the trunk to which she held, "I could always marry you to make things look more realistic."
"Miss Jamieson… Honor," he said sternly. "Will you please stand still? I thought I had escaped children for one afternoon, yet here you are behaving worse than the pack of them all together."
She stood meekly still before him.
He looked at her searchingly.
"You know," she said, two spots of color high on hercheeks,"it may not be as bad as you think. I really am not such aninnyhammeras I seem to be. I do not read as much as I ought these days, and I do not have a great deal of interest in music, but I know something about art and history. There are people who have said I have a definite talent in watercolor painting. And I always listen to any talk about state affairs, though I pretend to be playing with my curls or my fan or something like that. I would travel with you without complaint about inconveniences and be ever so interested in all the new people and places.Especially if you were to take me toItaly.And Greece! Oh, certainly if you were to take me to Greece.Home of all those handsome gods!"
"Honor," he said quietly, "are you proposing to me?"
"Yes," she said breathlessly, the two spots of color merging into one flood that covered her face and neck. Her eyes were on hisneckcloth.
"Why?" he asked."Because you wish to travel?"
"Yes," she said, raising her eyes boldly to his. "But more because I think I love you."
"Think?"
"Well," she said, "if you were to kiss me, perhaps I would be sure. Lord Fairfax kissed me once and I enjoyed it. But then I realized I had enjoyed it only because it was my first. Will you kiss me? Please? Joseph."
"I am not free to do so, Honor," he said gently.
"Oh," she said. "But do you wish to? If you were free, would you wish to?"
He drew a deep breath. "So many strange things have happened in the last few minutes," he said. "I do not know what I think or feel. I suppose I have been growing fond of you in the last few days, but I assumed that I was growing fond of you as a cousin. I have a deep affection for Jane, and I do not yet know for certain that she wishes to end our engagement. I am committed to her."
"Yes," she said. "And I do not need to be kissed. I know. I do love you."
She looked very crestfallen.
"I want to kiss you, Honor," he admitted slowly. "That is not a cousinly urge, is it?"
She smiled.
"But I am not free," he said, "and I will not dishonor my betrothal. Or be unfair to you. We had better get back into the boat."
"Yes," she said. Then she brightened visibly. "I am not betrothed. I have no one to feel guilty toward. I shall kiss you."
And she stepped lightly across the distance between them and suited action to words. She twined her arms around his neck and put her lips against his. She kept them there for a long time.Sedgeworthdid not move.
"There," she said gaily. "Now you know me for the hussy I am. First I propose to a betrothed man, and then I kiss him without his cooperation at all. That governess of mine would commit instant suicide if she knew.To the boat, sir."
He followed her back through the trees to the bank where he had tied the boat. The other boat was approaching, Fairfax rowing. Jane sat opposite him, her arm around one child, the other child on her lap.Sedgeworthsmiled and lifted his hand in greeting. They looked like a contented family group.
"My daughters have persuaded me to come here to swim," Fairfax called. "You would not care to join us, I suppose, Sedge? Miss Jamieson can sit and watch with Jane."
Jane! Not "Miss Matthews" any longer?
"I think my valet would hand in his notice without more ado if I arrived back with these clothes wet,"Sedgeworthcalled back. "No, Miss Jamieson and I will resume our very dignified row on the lake. Are you to be the audience, Jane?"
"Yes," she said. "Amy wants me to see her dive and swim on front and back. And Claire tells me she can swim, though I shall have to see it to believe it." She smiled down at the small child on her lap.
"Can swim!"Claire said indignantly. "Papatellyou."
"You certainly can, poppet," he said, stooping down from the bank and lifting her from Jane's lap. "Just like a cork. Aunt Jane is merely jealous because she cannot put her head under. Come, Jane. Take my hand and I shall try not to drop you in." He grinned at her, his hand outstretched.
"We will see you all later,"Sedgeworthsaid. "I think we are going to row around the island to see what is on the other side."
