‘I don’t know. But I’m not like it. You make me lose the ability to communicate. Like there’s sometimes a huge gap between us.’

‘I feel the same way, and that is rather frightening. Odd to find that one’s sweetheart disagrees with one on something so central.’

‘But I don’t!’ He was about to start on another huge explanation when she put a finger to his lips.

‘Hush. I don’t know why, but it seems to me that you are just discovering what you think, like a little boy being influenced by great men and heroic stories. That makes me feel like I’m being romanced by a young swain, and I suppose I quite like that, but I do wonder if it’s good that you should be such a blank slate. Any other woman, I suspect, would want to feel that she would be the one growing wings if asked to fly.’

‘That’s not because I’m special. It’s because you are.’

‘Thank you, sir.’ She put her arms round his neck. ‘I dislike it when you’re very manly, yet I wonder who else but me leads you.’

‘Another woman?’ He frowned.

‘Rocastle. Or some other general.’

‘Ah, but he was just as led by you. You’re my general’s general, so I owe you ultimate allegiance.’

‘But is that good?’

He put an unwounded finger under her chin. ‘Is that important?’ And kissed her again.

She pulled away after a moment. ‘Very manly.’

‘Too manly?’

‘No.’

‘Will you marry me?’

Joan froze, staring at him. ‘I… Could you give me… a few days to think about it?’

‘Of course.’

Joan grinned, looking happy and lost. ‘I hate to be so conventional, but could I have a ring or something? Then if I say yes, you could… see that I’ve said yes.’

‘Oh, yes.’ Smith fumbled in his pockets, putting the hamper down on the grass. ‘I hadn’t anticipated this.’

‘You mean you hadn’t planned it?’

‘No.’ He switched pockets, searching in his waistcoat. ‘But I mean it. Completely. Utterly. Ah…’ He pulled out a ring with a purple jewel set on it. ‘A little gaudy. Don’t know where I got it. Perhaps I wore it once. Will it do?’

‘Yes.’ She took the ring and stared into the jewel. ‘And I was complaining of you being easily led. Goodness, I can hardly catch my breath.’ She grabbed his hand and held the ring up to his finger. ‘Wait a moment⁠ — this doesn’t fit you! Heartbreaker!’ She laughed, trying to fit the ring over his finger, much to Smith’s discomfort. He started to hop, holding his wounded hand to his head and looking away as if to ignore the pain.

‘It was mine, I’m sure. Maybe I changed? Ow!’