think that only she could mend it; and so, for five years I''ve been wishing she''d come back. For five years I have scarcely let myself think of her, for fear that the thought would drive me mad with grief. Now she has turned up, saying all the things I dreamed she''d say; and I find my heart is mended already, by you. She made me know it. That was the look you saw on my face.'' I raised a hand to stop a tickling at my cheek, and found
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tears there. ''Oh, Flo!'' I said then. ''Only say - only say you''ll let me love you, and be with you; that you''ll let me be your sweetheart, and your comrade. I know I''m not Lily -''
''No, you''re not Lily,'' she said. ''I thought I knew what that meant - but I never did, till I saw you gazing at Kitty and thought I should lose you. I''ve been missing Lily for so long, it''s come to seem that wanting anything must be only another way of wanting her; but oh! how different wanting seemed, when I knew it was you I wanted, only you, only you ..."
I shifted closer towards her: the paper in my pocket gave a rustle, and I remembered romantic Miss Skinner, and all the friendless girls who Zena had said were mad in love with Flo, at Freemantle House. I opened my mouth to tell her; then thought I wouldn''t, just yet - in case she hadn''t noticed. Instead, I gazed again about the park, at the crush of gay-faced people, at the tents and stalls, the ribbons and flags and banners: it seemed to me then that it was Florence''s passion, and hers alone, that had set the whole park fluttering. I turned back to her, took her hand in mind, crushed the daisy between our fingers and - careless of whether anybody watched or not -1 leaned and kissed her.