But she disengaged herself gently, there was something she wished to say. She would not deny her love, her great love for him. She realized that she had loved him from the first. Her resistance had been part of her illness--it was not coquetry, he must not think that. Now her eyes were opened and her heart was singing with joy. She was the happiest woman in the world at the thought that she was to be his wife. "My darling! How I love you!" exclaimed Christopher, drawing her towards him, his lips seeking hers. "No--no," Penelope's voice was so serious, so full of alarm that her lover instantly obeyed. He drew away from her with a hurt, puzzled expression in his eyes. Very gravely Penelope went on. "I love you, too, my darling, but I must ask you to make me a solemn promise. I shall be most unhappy if you refuse. I want you to promise not to kiss me,--as--as lovers kiss, passionately, ardently, until after we are married." "But, Pen, you--can't mean that seriously?" With a wistful little smile she assured him that she did mean it most seriously. In vain he protested. "But why? It's so absurd! Why shouldn't I kiss you when I love you better than anything in the world." "Chris, please, _please_ don't talk like that. You must trust me and do what I ask. You must, dear!" A pathetic earnestness in her tone and a strange look in her eyes made Christopher forget his privileges, and he made the promise. "Thank you, dear. Now I must tell you something else," she went on. "I must explain why I was so disturbed when Kendall Brown read those words from my diary. I _must_ tell you what they meant." But a masterful gesture from Herrick stopped her. He did not wish to know anything about this. He trusted her entirely, he approved of her entirely, they must never speak of these old sad things again. Tears of gratitude suddenly filled her eyes. "Take this, dear, it belonged to my mother," she said fondly and gave him a circlet of twisted dolphins and he put it on his finger. Then he gave her a brown seal ring, engraved with old Armenian characters. "I got it in Constantinople, Pen. It's a talisman. It will bring us luck." They talked on, forgetful of the supper party downstairs, until a waiter came with cocktails and champagne that Roberta had sent up, but Penelope would have none of these, saying that her love was too great to need stimulation. "I must drink to your health, dear," said Herrick, and pouring out the bubbling liquid, he offered her a glass, but she shook her head. "No? Not even a sip? All right, sweetheart. I'll pledge you the finest toast in the world," he lifted his goblet. "My love! My wife!"