Arobin visits Edna that night. She is still exhilarated at the thought of Robert’s imminent return but does not reveal the reason for her good mood to Arobin. She does tell him about Mademoiselle Reisz’s unusual gesture of feeling Edna’s shoulder blades “to see if my wings were strong,” and her explanation that Edna must have strong wings to fly beyond society’s expectations. As she relates this anecdote to Arobin, he is stroking her hair and face. Then he leans his face forward to kiss her and she responds immediately with ardor, pulling him toward her. It is the most physically charged kiss of her life.
Chapter XXVIII reveals that after Arobin leaves, Edna feels a storm of emotions, even crying briefly, but overall feels no shame. Having experienced the thrill of an intensely sexual kiss for the first time, she regrets only that it was not with Robert.
