He knew her answer without waiting to hear her speak the words. He saw it in the radiance in her eyes, in the glorious, glowing happiness which seemed to light her whole face. But he waited – waited until very softly he heard her whisper.
‘I love you, too!’
He put his arms round her and drew her close. He felt her quiver and then – he found her lips. Together they knew an ecstasy and a wonder that was not of this world. For a long, long moment they were joined together – one and undivided then it seemed as if human nature broke beneath the strain and Mistral hid her face against his shoulder.
‘I love you,’ Robert said. ‘Oh, my sweet, my little darling, I love you so.’
She raised her face, then she looked not at him but towards the altar.
‘I always knew,’ she said very slowly, ‘that lo
