dangermousie | Oh Cheesy Goodness, how I love you!

This little bit of Edwardian passion makes me highly amused:

She held up the cigarette. "Quite ready? Ah, Dick! Don't--don't upset
the boat!"

For the sculls floated loose again in the rowlocks. He had her by the
wrists, the arms, the shoulders. He had her, suddenly and very closely,
against his heart. He covered her face with his kisses, so that she
gasped and gasped for breath, half-laughing, half-dismayed.

"Dick, how--how disgraceful of you! Dick, you mustn't! Someone--someone
will see us!"

"Let them!" he said, grimly reckless. "You brought it on yourself. How
dare you tell me I'm like a high priest? How dare you, Juliet?"

"I daren't," she assured him, her hand against his mouth, restraining
him. "I never will again. You're much more like the great god Pan. There,
now do be good! Please be good! I am sure someone is watching us. I can
feel it in my bones. You're flinging my reputation to the little fishes.
Please, Dick--darling,--please!"

He held the appealing hand and kissed it very tenderly. "I can't resist
that," he said. "So now we're quits, are we? And no one any the worse.
Juliet, you'll have to marry me soon."

She drew away from his arms, still panting a little. Her face was
burning. "Now we'll go back," she said. "You're very unmanageable to-day.
I shall not come out with you again for a long time."

"Yes--yes, you will!" he urged. "I shouldn't be so unmanageable if I
weren't so--starved."

She laughed rather shakily. "You're absurd and extravagant. Please row
back now, Dick! Mr. and Mrs. Fielding will be wondering where we are."

"Let 'em wonder!" said Dick.

The more I read of Ms. Dell, the more I begin to believe that her novels are a very Victorian and ladylike way for her to express her definite desire to have a hot, repressed, and angsty Englishman consensually take her against the wall. Seriously.