"
"Poor little boy," she whispered softly. "You couldn't be naughty
to-day, could you? Besides, you've me to look after now, as well as
yourself. You've been here before. I've never been away from home in my
life."
He caught at her hand and held it tightly.
"I'm just dying to kiss you, darling," he whispered. "Oh, I wish we
needn't waste time on that bally rotten ship. I want us to get away from
everywhere."
On the ship they found that he could not get his things until the purser
came aboard at seven o'clock in the evening, as he had them sealed up.
But Knollys provided him with clothes brush and toilet apparatus while
Marcella waited.
"I've found out all about getting married," he explained when they got
outside on the quay again. "It's frightfully simple. Knollys has just
told me where the Registrar's place is. Lord! Marcella, do you feel
frightened?"
"No," she said, rather faintly.
"It's worse for me than for you, after all. It's fun for a girl to get
married. But I've all the ordeals to go through, facing the Registrar,
buying the ring--"
"Well, I'll do it," she said resignedly, "if you're frightened."
But as they passed the first jeweller's shop he dived in suddenly
without speaking to her. After a few minutes he emerged, his face
flushed and damp, his hand shaky.
"Look here, come up a side way somewhere, old thing! They've given me a
chunk of cardboard with little holes in it.
Pages:
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286