The Japanese Lantern
Page 17
“Only nearly?” he demanded. “What do you think you did to mine?”
“To yours?” she repeated.
“Of course to mine! Didn’t you think that I might have had some feelings in the matter?”
“But—”
“I was so sure when you rang me up in Tokyo that it was because you were missing me. And before that, snubbing me over the sake, saying that as you were my nephew’s governess it would be more fitting for me to remember your place!”
She blushed at that.
“I was so hurt,” she explained. “I thought in Manila—”
“Manila was the only time we both behaved sensibly,” he told her crushingly. “You’ve been blowing hot and cold ever since.”
She would have liked to explain further, but the opportunity was taken from her, for his lips found hers in the darkness and he kissed her so thoroughly that she was breathless and shaken at the other end.
“I didn’t know you felt like that!” she stammered out.
“Well, I do, you see,” he said warmingly. “And I have every intention of kissing you all over again.”
“Oh, I liked it!” she assured him anxiously.
He chuckled, drawing her closer against him.
“Where do you want to get married?” he asked her, almost casually.
She found herself blushing again and pushed him away from her with an agitated movement.
“I hadn’t thought—” she began confusedly.
“Not even in Manila?”
“Oh, no!” she exclaimed, a little shocked. “I didn’t dare let myself think as far ahead as that!”
He appeared to find that amusing also, for he kissed her again, more gently than the time before, and said:
“Well, how about thinking of it now?”
“I am,” she admitted with a shy smile. “But I’d far rather leave it to you. I’d like my parents to be there, of course.” She paused. “You haven’t even asked me properly yet!” she said.
“My poor pet!” he commiserated with her. “I shan’t do you out of a proposal, I just wanted to be absolutely sure that I was going to be accepted first!”
It was her turn to laugh at that, and then she flung her arms round him, immediately repentant.
“Oh, Jason, I love you so much!” she exclaimed. “Yoshiko was teasing me earlier by telling me that I needed that headdress of hers more than she did, and I think she was quite right!”
He pretended to feel her head to see if he could find the horns, but she wouldn’t let him, refusing to bend her neck. It had just occurred to her that Jason might well have wanted his sister to come home so that he could marry herself all the sooner, and this thought gave her such a warm feeling that she melted into his arms.
“Do you think we could get married soon?” she asked in altered tones.
His mood changed with hers and he pulled her back into his arms, kissing her passionately.
“I think we probably could,” he said. “We could get married and then go and see your parents when Janet gets back.”
Jonquil would have liked to agree quickly before he could change his mind, but she couldn’t, for his mouth came down on hers again and she was too busy showing him exactly how much she really did love him.
THE END