Despite his assertion that he wouldn't be able to sleep when they parted ways in the early hours of the morning, he dozes off sometime after 3. He wakes just in time to hear her door snick softly shut, her soft tread moving down the hallway. He moves to get out of bed with a half-formed thought of accosting her in the hall with a sleepy embrace, but she's moved fast - the creaky second step of the staircase is already sounding. She'll be downstairs before he can catch her.

He washes and dresses in a hurry. Even so, he hears several pairs of small feet clattering down the stairs before he's finished buttoning his waistcoat.

Damn. So much for a moment alone. Well, and what of it? He's spent half the night going out of his head for her; a mere audience won't stop him now. His grin takes on a mischievous flavor as he folds down his collar.

It's not until he's clattering down the stairs that it crosses his mind that she may have intentionally avoided him on her way down the kitchen. Does she normally move that fast? But he can't let the idea take hold now - he's reached the bottom of the stairs, and he's turning toward the kitchen, and at the end of that long hallway he sees her at the range, stirring a pan of something fragrant and steaming. Her head is turned ever so slightly toward him in anticipation of his appearance, and her face is flushed and open as her eyes meet his. She smiles, a small, quick, intimate smile that gives the impression of concealing some strong emotion. Any thought of deferring a proper good morning to avoid a scene makes a final exit from his mind.

"Morning!" He cries, sauntering into the kitchen. Christine and Kelly-Ann are at the table, nibbling on toast with marmalade.

Audrey turns slightly to greet him and barely has time to register the beatific fervor in his eyes before he's hooking a hand around her waist and moving toward her.

"Siegfried-!" She flinches away, putting a hand to his chest to ward him off and cutting her eyes toward the girls, but she can't clear the pleased blush from her face.

"Well? They're going to find out sooner or later, aren't they?" He can feel the warmth of her skin through her dress, and her bright eyes call up visions of the night before.

She feels perhaps her resolve ought to be stronger, but given the circumstances (not least of which being a quickly rising craving for another taste of the previous night's embraces), she lets the smile win after a momentary inner battle. "Go on, then."

He obliges. Kelly Ann, Already watching with barely contained giggles, dissolves into laughter. Christine, a true eleven year old romantic at heart, smiles rapturously at the small romance playing out before her.

The kiss, warm and deep and long, is over too soon. They smile into each other's eyes for a moment: his mischievously triumphant, hers fond and wry, a wordless conversation.

"Fetch a plate and I'll serve you an egg," she says at last, and he reluctantly releases her to do as she says. He resolves to corner her in the hall when she goes to get the paper. It's helpfully late this morning, if its absence from the table is any indication.