"I was nearer hating you then than ever in my life."
He saw the colour creep into her face. "You've told me ever so many times that you hated me," he went on quickly, "but you never told me that you ... loved me, Esther!"
Then suddenly she took his hand in both of hers; she bent her head and kissed it with a sort of passionate gratitude that brought a mist to Micky's eyes. He seemed to see her all at once as he had first seen her that New Year's Eve; alone, unhappy--with nobody to care what she did, or what became of her.
"You're so much, much too good for me," she said brokenly. "You've done everything for me, and I've done nothing for you--I haven't even been ... nice! I can't tell you what I feel about it all--I only know that--just lately--you've--you've made everything seem so different--since you wrote me that letter--it makes me feel in my heart that it's always really been you--always you, and never ... never any one else."
"Darling," said Micky huskily. "And perhaps--some day--do you ... do you ... think ... you could ever care for me more than ... than you cared for ... that other fellow, confound him!" he added fiercely.
"I think," she said slowly, "that I only ... only really began to care for--him--when he went away--and when those letters began to come; and so you see--it was always you, because it was you who wrote them."
"It was a rotten thing to do, but I wanted to help you."
"My fur coat ... can I--will you give it back to me?"
"I'll give you everything in the world if you'll say you love me...."
For a moment she did not answer; she was still a little afraid of him; she still felt something of pride and constraint between them; though she knew it was for her to sweep away the last barrier.
She looked up at him, the sensitive colour rushing to her face.
"I love you," she said softly. "Oh, Micky, some one will see----"
The train was running on to Dover Harbour before Micky realised it; he looked at Esther with pretended dismay in his happy eyes.
"And pray, what am I to do with you, madame? Do you realise that I'm going to Paris?"
"I know----" She laughed. "I'm going there too--of course, if you'd like to travel in a different train to me...."
She was a very different Esther from the pale, frightened-looking girl who had said good-bye to June at Victoria. Her eyes were dancing now, and her face was radiant. Micky regarded her with proud satisfaction.