Betty, doesn't it mean anything to you that I love you?
I admit that I wish it had been twice as slow!" he added reflectively, as an afterthought.

He looked at her steadily, and Betty's dark lashes drooped as the color mounted to her face.
"I don't," she said quickly.

She rose from her chair, and Carrington followed her example with a lithe movement that bespoke muscles in good training.

She led the way through the wide hall and out to the porch.
"Now I am going to show you all over the place," she announced resolutely.

She stood on the top step, looking off into the flaming west where the sun rode low in the heavens.