He gave a short laugh which was not without bitterness. "That was typically Toni. I went all the way to London to meet a middle-aged woman who was coming by plane. And when I got back I found you ..."
The warmth of the fire glow which was all about them was as nothing compared with the warmth which was stealing over Fay's heart. But before it was quite engulfed she had to ask, "Why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have given your secret away."
"I don't know," he admitted, "except perhaps because I was narked that you hadn't trusted me--judged me without even a question. If only you'd asked me I would have told you like a shot. But you just—shut me out. I couldn't get inside the barrier you'd put up—"
"It was hell," Fay admitted.
"I know," he agreed, and then with his good hand he pulled her up from her seat and into his arms. "But it doesn't have to go on being hell, does it?"
Hell was turned to heaven for long minutes while their lips met as they had met once and only once before. The old understanding was back and there was small need of words. At last, still holding her close, Mark said, "I'm afraid there's no mistletoe this year. I didn't think Bernard and his Lissa needed it—and I didn't know you were coming."
"I was determined," Fay laughed a little tremulously, "and so was Wendy. But we don't need the mistletoe either."
"God bless Wendy," he said, and then loosing her just
enough to be able to look down into her face he went on, "Do you know you've presented me with an even bigger problem than you did last year? There isn't a present on the tree for you! Unless you'd like the dolls' sewing machine intended for Wendy's friend 'Elizabeth.' "
"Don't worry," she told him. "I've brought my own, and Horsey has put it on the tree."
"Your own?"
"My fairy doll, of course."
"But Toni gave you that last year."
"Yes—but she only gave me half the present she wanted me to have. Do you remember what she said when she gave it to me?"
"Yes—something about it bringing you your heart's desire, wasn't it?"
Fay's eyes were starry bright as she looked at him. "That's it. Toni couldn't give me that—though she did try. But when you give me the doll tomorrow, will you give me the other half of the present?"
"Yes," he sighed, pulling her close again. "But haven't you got it now?"
"Only the beginning."
"What more do you want, you greedy woman?"
"I want you to propose to me," she said meekly, and then added more seriously, "and I want something else too. I'd like you to tell me that by some means or other we can keep Beechcroft and that it will always be a real home for Wendy and Helen as long as they need it."
"Bless you," he kissed her again. "Are you prepared to take them on as well as me?"
"Of course I am," she told him. "But most of all I want to know that I'm keeping my promise to Toni—and that one day our children will be playing on the lawns of Beechcroft
-
just as she dreamed."
"Amen to that,"
he
said.