“You don’t!” “Pardon _me!_” said Eustace firmly. “I’ve loved you ever since you gave me that extraordinary drink with Worcester sauce in it on the boat.” “They why didn’t you say so before?” “I hadn’t the nerve. You always seemed so—I don’t know how to put it—I always seemed such a worm. I was just trying to get the courage to propose when I caught the mumps, and that seemed to me to finish it. No girl could love a man with three times the proper amount of face.” “As if that could make any difference! What does your outside matter? I have seen your inside!” “I beg your pardon?” “I mean....” Eustace fondled her back hair. “Jane! Queen of my soul! Do you really love me?” “I’ve loved you ever since we met on the Subway.” She raised a tear-stained face. “If only I could be sure that you really loved me!” “I can prove it!” said Eustace proudly. “You know how scared I am of my mother. Well, for your sake I overcame my fear, and did something which, if she ever found out about it, would make her sorer than a sunburned neck! This house. She absolutely refused to let it to old Bennett and old Mortimer. They kept after her about it, but she wouldn’t hear of it. Well, you told me on the boat that Wilhelmina Bennett had invited you to spend the summer with her, and I knew that, if they didn’t come to Windles, they would take some other place, and that meant I wouldn’t see you. So I hunted up old Mortimer, and let it to him on the quiet, without telling my mother anything about it!” “Why, you darling angel child,” cried Jane Hubbard joyfully. “Did you really do that for my sake? Now I know you love me!” “Of course, if mother ever got to hear of it...!” Jane Hubbard pushed him gently into the nest of bedclothes, and tucked him in with strong, calm hands. She was a very different person from the girl who so short a while before had sobbed on the carpet. Love is a wonderful thing. “You mustn’t excite yourself,” she said. “You’ll be getting a temperature. Lie down and try to get to sleep.” She kissed his bulbous face. “You have made me so happy, Eustace darling.” “That’s good,” said Eustace cordially. “But it’s going to be an awful jar for mother!” “Don’t you worry about that. I’ll break the news to your mother. I’m sure she will be quite reasonable about it.” Eustace opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. “Lie back quite comfortably, and don’t worry,” said Jane Hubbard. “I’m going to my room to get a book to read you to sleep. I shan’t be five minutes. And forget about your mother. I’ll look after her.” Eustace closed his eyes. After all, this girl had fought lions, tigers, pumas, cannibals, and alligators in her time with a good deal of success. There might be a sporting chance of victory for her when she moved a step up in the animal kingdom and tackled his mother. He was not unduly optimistic, for he thought she was going out of her class; but he felt faintly hopeful. He allowed himself to drift into pleasant meditation.