She laughed and clung to him; laughed and kissed him kiss for kiss. She said presently, only murmuring, so close their lips: "Wouldn't I just though! Hard as I could I'd fetch her such a couple of slaps! Oo-oo! Oh, I say, Arthur! Why, I never heard such things! I never heard such a caution as she must have been! Jus' because you're quiet, dear--that's what it was. One of that fast lot. That's what she was. Don't I know them, though!" He was just holding her, kissing her, laughing at her. Why not? He'd not wrong her till she understood--that was his new assurance. At Whitecliffe he'd take her, and tell her there so that not possibly she'd misunderstand him. Not to deceive her--he'd not deceived her yet. Swiftly deception came. "Won't we be happy though!" "Won't we!" he answered her. "Won't I take care of you just!" "That's what I want, Essie! That's what I want!" "Quiet as you like, dear. I shan't mind.". "Essie, I'll make you happy--happy." "Just think of Mother and Dad when we tell them! They aren't half fond of you, Mother and Dad." The beginning of it. "We won't tell them--yet," he said. "What, have a secret?" "Just for a day or two--just till Whitecliffe." "Oh, isn't that fine, though, to have it a secret by ourselves!" "Fine, Essie." "Not long though. I couldn't keep it above a week!" "Just a week, Essie." She was silent a moment, her lips on his. And very silent he. She said: "You're not really rich, dear?" "Yes, I am." "Perhaps you only said it--just because. I know how things pop out. That doesn't matter. Look, I shouldn't be half surprised if Dad'll give you a job of work in his shop when he knows we're engaged." "It's true, Essie. Rich as rich." "You've never got as much as fifty pounds?" "Heaps more than that." "Oh, if ever! We'll never have a jolly little house of our own?" "We will, though. A jolly one." Silent again. She was smiling, dreaming. And silent he. He was thinking, thinking. A striking clock disturbed her. "Eleven! Oh, would you believe it! If we don't hurry, we'll have to tell them--to explain." "We'll hurry," he said; and he added: "We must keep our secret, Essie." She was out of his arms in her surprise at the hour. Something in his voice made her look at him quickly. "There, you're quiet now--like you are sometimes," she said. He told her "I'm thinking--of you." At that she suddenly was in his arms again, her hands about his neck. "There's one thing," she whispered and drew down his face. "Oh, there's one thing!" He asked her "What?" "Jus' tell me how you love me. You've not said it." Not to deceive her! "As if I need, Essie?" "But I want you to. Jus' say it so I can remember it." Not to deceive her! He stroked her face. "As if I need, Essie! Why should you want me to?"