"We should only be two in a crowd," replied Audrey, with the more
prosaic instinct of women. "Endless people come to the Gardens during
the day. If they were sensible they would be here now. I can't
understand why the silly things remain in bed when the weather is so
perfect."
"Perhaps not one of them has an Audrey to meet."
Miss Branwin laughed gaily. "I daresay every young man has an Audrey
of his own, just as every girl has a Ralph."
"Then why aren't they walking here along with us?"
"Ah, they know we wish to be alone, and so have the good sense to stop
in bed. And then"--she broke off laughing--"what nonsense we talk!"
"Delicious nonsense, I think. Let us go on talking, as we'll have
enough commonsense during the day. Don't you think"--Ralph slipped an
eager arm round her slender waist--"that you might--"
She drew back from his approaching lips with a blush, and dexterously
twisted away to a safe distance. "Certainly not. Those workmen would
see us."
"And envy me," replied Ralph, sentimentally, glancing round meanwhile
for some secluded spot. "Don't you think that we might sit under this
elm? It's not so open to--to--er--to observation, you know. May I
smoke?"
"What, before breakfast?" questioned Audrey, sitting down on the
grass.
"I have had my breakfast--that is, so much as I could eat, with you in
my thoughts, darling. And you?"
"I had a cup of tea and some thin bread-and-butter. But I shall have
my real breakfast when I return home."
"And you will think of me?"
"If," said Audrey, with mischievous gravity, "if it is possible to do
two things at one time I shall think of you."
"Darling!" And this time he really kissed her.
Of course, it was all very silly, but extremely delightful, all the
same; for love's commonsense is the nonsense of everyday life. A cynic
would have considered the conversation of Audrey and Ralph to be
drivel; and no doubt it was, to anyone but their very own selves. But
only the birds could hear the billing and cooing which went on, until
his wooing and her coquetting ended in a long silence, wherein they
held each other's hand and, looking eye to eye, sighed at intervals.
Yet Audrey was a sensible girl, and Ralph was a rising barrister,
winning golden opinions in the Law Courts. If his clients could have
seen him now, acting Hercules in the toils of Omphale, he would never
have secured another brief.