Alexander stood there, quite out of place in his beautifully tailored topcoat. He said through his teeth, `Well, I'm damned! I've torn Oxford apart looking for you.'
`Why?' asked Jemima baldly.
`Because that's where you're supposed to be. Only by the merest chance did Belling remember that one of the maids thought she'd seen you here. I've been a fool, I should have come here straight away.' He frowned at her. `I didn't know you were lying,' he added evenly.
She had nothing to say to this, but when the silence had gone on too long she asked in a small voice: `Did you want a paper?"
'No,' said Alexander. `I want you, Jemima. My brown mouse, my darling brown mouse of a girl.'
She looked at him with troubled eyes, although her heart sang. `But you can't-you've got Gloria.'
He shook his head. `What makes you think that because I took her around I wanted to marry her? I don't care two straws for the girl, never did. She was useful camouflage while I was doing my best to get you interested in me.'
`If I hadn't done that I should have eaten you with a spoon.'
She laughed at that, and then shook her head. `But I saw Gloria last week; she said...' She blushed as she remembered, and the Professor laughed suddenly and came round the counter.
`Shall I guess?' he asked softly. `Do you love me just a little, my dearest girl? I shall probably be a bad husband, but I shall love you all my life-indeed, I can think of nothing on this earth that I want to do more.'
He pushed aside a pile of Daily Mirrors and caught her close and kissed her; and when she started to say something, he kissed her again, even harder.
`I'm taking you back to Aunt's house, you can stay with her until we get married.'
`Oh, but I can't stay there, Lady Manderly wouldn't like it.'
The doorbell went again and a large untidy man ambled in. 'I'll have the Sun.' He looked without much interest upon the Professor, standing with Jemima locked in his arms.
`Help yourself to anything you fancy, my dear chap,' said the Professor largely.
When he had gone, Jemima said severely: `That won't do at all, you know: he could have cleared the shop.'
`How soon can we close this infernal place?"
'Not until Shirley comes back from the dentist, and then I must explain and pack my things and...'
`Let us take one thing at a time,' declared Alexander. `We can sit here and get to know each other, for a start.'
'Like this, my darling.' And he bent to kiss her again.