It was an adorable look.
"Lucy!" he said huskily.
But she turned quickly from him, and ran to the other end of the room.
He followed awkwardly, stammering: "Lucy, I want--I want to ask you.

Will you--will you--will you be engaged to me ?" She stood at a window, seeming to look out into the summer darkness, her back to him.
"Will you, Lucy ?" "No," she murmured, just audibly.
"Why not ?" "I'm older than you." "Eight months!" "You're too young." "Is that--" he said, gulping--"is that the only reason you won't ?" She did not answer.
As she stood, persistently staring out of the window, with her back to him, she did not see how humble his attitude had become; but his voice was low, and it shook so that she could have no doubt of his emotion.
"Lucy, please forgive me for making such a row," he said, thus gently.
"I've been--I've been terribly upset--terribly! You know how I feel about you, and always have felt about you.

I've shown it in every single thing I've done since the first time I met you, and I know you know it.
Don't you ?" Still she did not move or speak.
"Is the only reason you won't be engaged to me you think I'm too young, Lucy ?" "It's--it's reason enough," she said faintly.
At that he caught one of her hands, and she turned to him: there were tears in her eyes, tears which he did not understand at all.
"Lucy, you little dear!" he cried.

"I knew you--" "No, no!" she said, and she pushed him away, withdrawing her hand.
"George, let's not talk of solemn things." "Solemn things!' Like what ?" "Like--being engaged." But George had become altogether jubilant, and he laughed triumphantly.
"Good gracious, that isn't solemn!" "It is, too!" she said, wiping her eyes.

"It's too solemn for us." "No, it isn't! I--" "Let's sit down and be sensible, dear," she said.