"And could it even really be called a kiss? It had been very, very short. And did it mean anything if the kisser (him) had been feeling terribly grateful to the kissee (her) and possibly even indebted, in the most elemental of ways? She'd saved his life, after all. A kiss was not entirely out of order. Plus, he had said, "Forgive me." Did it count as a kiss if the kisser had asked for forgiveness? Honoria thought not."