Green and gold.' The staircase was a labyrinth of posts and planks like the outside of the house, and a whole Olympus of plumbers and glaziers was reclining in various attitudes, on the skylight.

Her own room was not yet touched within, but there were beams and boards raised against it without, baulking the daylight.

She went up swiftly to that other bedroom, where the little bed was; and a dark giant of a man with a pipe in his mouth, and his head tied up in a pocket-handkerchief, was staring in at the window.
It was here that Susan Nipper, who had been in quest of Florence, found her, and said, would she go downstairs to her Papa, who wished to speak to her.
'At home! and wishing to speak to me!' cried Florence, trembling.
Susan, who was infinitely more distraught than Florence herself, repeated her errand; and Florence, pale and agitated, hurried down again, without a moment's hesitation.

She thought upon the way down, would she dare to kiss him?
The longing of her heart resolved her, and she thought she would.
Her father might have heard that heart beat, when it came into his presence.

One instant, and it would have beat against his breast.
But he was not alone.