She laid her cheek against his shoulder. "If you marry me I shall get rid of you somehow," she whispered. "I love love, but I simply hate husbands. It won't do to marry me. You ask Kneedrock. He knows."
She could feel his heart flopping about in his bosom.
"You—you extraordinary creature!" he faltered.
"Yes, isn't it awful?" she asked. "I think myself it is shocking. But I can't help it. I am made so."
He tried to laugh and failed.
"Do you want to kiss me any more?... No?... Then step off my gown and I'll run back downstairs."
Sunday went off well. Some went to church and some didn't. Carleigh didn't. Nina didn't. They went for a walk instead.
"This is heavenly," said the man. "I'm so happy. You are an enchantress. I feel that before I met you I never knew what anything meant."
"Men all say that," she affirmed. "Men are very stupid. They get a little chain of pearly speeches together, and then they expect women to fancy that no other man ever even so much as saw a pearl before."