d; they did not sound
very practical.

"I mean," she said, "have you got to consider anybody else? Of course
there's Maurice and your people, I've thought of them. But I don't think
they'd mind so awfully always, do you? It wouldn't be like robbing or
cheating some one who really needed us. We couldn't do that, of course."

Then Winn remembered Peter. He told her somehow that there was Peter. He
hid his face against her breast while he told her; he could not bear to
see in her eyes this new knowledge of Peter.

But she was very quiet about it; it was almost as if she had always
known that there was Peter.

Winn spoke very wildly after that; he denied Peter; he denied any
obstacles; he spoke as if they were already safely and securely married.
He explained that they had to be together; that was the long and short
of it. Anything else was absurd; she must see that it was absurd.

Claire didn't interrupt him once; but when he had quite finished, she
said consideringly:

"Yes; but, after all, she gave you Peter."

Then Winn laughed, remembering how Estelle had given him Peter. He
couldn't explain to Claire quite how funny it was.

She bore his laughter, though it surprised her a little; there seemed to
be so many new things to be learned about him. Then she said:

"Anyway, we can be quite happy for a fortnight, can't we?"

Winn raised his head and looked at her. It was his turn to be surprised.

"Maurice and I," she explained, "have to go back in two weeks; we've
come over here for the fortnight. So we'll just be happy, won't we? And
we can settle what we'll do afterward, at the end of the time."

She spoke as if a fortnight was a long time. Then Winn kissed her; he
did it with extraordinary gentleness, on the side of her cheek and on
her wet curls covered with snow.

"You're such a baby," he said half to himself; "so it isn't a bit of use
your being as old as the hills the other part of the time. There are
just about a million reasons why you shouldn't stay, you know."

"Oh, reasons!" said Claire, making a face at anything so trivial as a
reason. Then she became very grave, and said, "I _want_ to stay, Winn;
of course I know what you mean. But there's Maurice; it isn't as if I
were alone. And afterwards--oh, Winn, it's because I don't know what is
going to happen afterwards--I _must_ have now!"

Winn thought for a moment, then he said:

"Well, I'll try and work it. You mustn't be in the same hotel, though