“It is very fine!” Tilda agreed.
Then beneath her breath,
“Shall I – pretend to faint? Then at least you would have to – pick me up in your – arms!”
“Tilda, my precious, do behave. You are such a naughty angel!”
“I promise I will be very good if I can kiss you – just once.”
He paused to show her another picture and then he said out of the side of his mouth,
“We turn a corner in a moment. There is a door on the right where my father’s decorations are displayed. We could slip into it quickly!”
“I knew you would see sense!” Tilda muttered with elation.
“There is nothing sensible about it!” Rudolph groaned.
They turned the corner with the long procession still behind them.
Rudolph pulled Tilda through a door on the right hand side, closed it behind them and locked it.
She gave a cry
