Lord Caterham Approves
"Father," said Bundle, "I've got to break a piece of news to you. You're going to lose me."
"Nonsense," said Lord Caterham. "Don't tell me that you're suffering from galloping consumption or a weak heart or anything like that, because I simply don't believe it."
"It's not death," said Bundle. "It's marriage."
"Very nearly as bad," said Lord Caterham. "I suppose I shall have to come to the wedding, all dressed up in tight, uncomfortable clothes, and give you away. And Lomax may think it necessary to kiss me in the vestry."
"Good heavens! You don't think I'm going to marry George, do you?" cried Bundle.
"Well, something like that seemed to be in the wind last time I saw you," said her father. "Yesterday morning, you know."
"I'm going to be married to someone a hundred times nicer than George," said Bundle.
"I hope so, I'm sure," said Lord Caterham. "But one never knows. I don't feel you're really a good judge of character, Bundle. You told me that young Thesiger was a cheerful inefficient, and from all I hear now it seems that he was one of the most efficient criminals of the day. The sad thing is that I never met him. I was thinking of writing my reminiscences soon—with a special chapter on murderers I have met—and by a purely technical oversight, I never met this young man."
"Don't be silly," said Bundle. "You know you haven't got the energy to write reminiscences or anything else."