As to the girl herself, I think she
has made a very good choice. She has plenty of money for both, and
as he has managed to keep up on his younger son's portion, he can
have no extravagant tastes, and will make her a very good husband.
There is no other engagement to be announced, I suppose?"
"As I am the only other unmarried man on board, Colonel, your
question is somewhat pointed. No; I hope there may be one of these
days, but I don't think that it would be fair to ask her here,
where I am her host, and she is under the glamour of the sea. I
doubt whether she has the slightest idea of what I want. That is
the worst of being very old friends; the relations get so fixed
that a woman does not recognise that they can ever be changed.
However, I shall try my luck one of these days. I don't think that
I shall meet with any serious opposition on her mother's part, if
Bertha likes me, but I know that Lady Greendale has very much more
ambitious views for her, and has quite set her mind upon her making
a good match. No doubt she has a right to expect that she will do
so. However, I think she is too fond of Bertha to thwart her,
however disappointed she might feel.
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