I followed her to a little room, furnished very daintily; and there she
ordered me to wait, in a most ungracious manner. 'Well,' thought I, 'if
the mistress and the maid are alike in temper, better it had been for
me to abide at Master Ramsack's.' But almost ere my thought was done, I
heard the light quick step which I knew as well as 'Watch,' my dog, knew
mine; and my breast began to tremble, like the trembling of an arch ere
the keystone is put in.

Almost ere I hoped--for fear and hope were so entangled that they
hindered one another--the velvet hangings of the doorway parted, with
a little doubt, and then a good face put on it. Lorna, in her perfect
beauty, stood before the crimson folds, and her dress was all pure
white, and her cheeks were rosy pink, and her lips were scarlet.

Like a maiden, with skill and sense checking violent impulse, she stayed
there for one moment only, just to be admired; and then like a woman,
she came to me, seeing how alarmed I was. The hand she offered me I
took, and raised it to my lips with fear, as a thing too good for me.
'Is that all?' she whispered; and then her eyes gleamed up at me; and in
another instant, she was weeping on my breast.

'Darling Lorna, Lady Lorna,' I cried, in astonishment, yet unable but to
keep her closer to me, and closer; 'surely, though I love you so, this
is not as it should be.'

'Yes, it is, John. Yes, it is. Nothing else should ever be. Oh, why have
you behaved so?'

'I am behaving.' I replied, 'to the very best of my ability. There is no
other man in the world could hold you so, without kissing you.'

'Then why don't you do it, John?' asked Lorna, looking up at me, with a
flash of her old fun.

Now this matter, proverbially, is not for discussion, and repetition.
Enough that we said nothing more than, 'Oh, John, how glad I am!' and
'Lorna, Lorna Lorna!' for about five minutes. Then my darling drew
back proudly, with blushing cheeks, and tear-bright eyes, she began to
cross-examine me.

'Master John Ridd, you shall tell the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth. I have been in Chancery, sir; and can detect a
story. Now why have you never, for more than a twelvemonth, taken the
smallest notice of your old friend, Mistress Lorna Doone?' Although she
spoke in this lightsome manner, as if it made no difference, I saw that
her quick heart was moving, and the flash of her eyes controlled.

'Simply for this cause, I answered, 'that my