He took her mechanically into his arms and kissed the mouth that was held up to him, and he experienced dully the sort of shock that an unconventional man feels when a woman he has always considered the type of purity does something which a woman of the world would know better than to risk her reputation by doing. Upstairs, in the room overhead, he could hear Lady Joan singing his child to sleep. He passed his hand across his brow and wondered in a vague sort of way how it was all going to end; it seemed years since Lady Joan had spoken to him.
"No, Norah child, of course I am not angry with you; how could any one be that? But--"
"I don't mind anything if you are not angry with me. Only, why are you so quiet? Have you been suffering too, Digby; haven't they been kind to you?"
"Who? the fates? No, I fancy they have not been kind to me. Did you come alone, childie?"
"I came with old nurse; she is at the station. Digby, tell me, have you been ill?"
"No, I have not been ill; I have been working rather hard, and perhaps worrying as well. Forgive me, dear; you must own it is all rather startling?"
She put her arms round him, and laughed her low, soft laugh; and he writhed at the contrast it made to Lady Joan's loud mocking one, which still rang in his ears.
"Of course it is; I feel as if I had begun to live all over again after being asleep in a cold, dark place ever since last year. Have you ever felt like that, Digby? Oh, I have never asked after Sonny; how is he? Has he gone to bed? May I go up and kiss him?"
"No, stay here," he said vehemently, and then bit his moustache savagely when she opened her great eyes at him; and he added in a quieter tone, "he is quite bonny, but we--we won't disturb him yet. There is a lady with him who--who has been kind to me, and--and she will be coming down perhaps--"
"A lady? Oh, I see," wonderingly. "I am glad she has been kind to you--very. Do you like her?"
Should he tell her then? It was not yet absolutely necessary.
"Yes, I like her," he said in a toneless voice, and he forced himself to smile reassuringly at her.
"I should like to see her, then. Hark, she is coming downstairs; how merry she is, your friend!" as the full healthy laugh came down the stairs.