"How a fool's Paradise?" asked the happy Thomas.
"What I mean is, dearest, that we ought to fix something. Mamma is getting uneasy about her own plans."
"In what way, dearest?"
"About a thousand things. She can't arrange anything till our plans are made. Of course there are little troubles about money when people ain't rich." Then it occurred to her that this might seem to be a plea for postponing rather than for hurrying the marriage, and she mended her argument. "The truth is, Thomas, she wants to know when the day is to be fixed, and I've promised to ask. She said she'd ask you herself, but I wouldn't let her do that."
"We must think about it, of course," said Thomas.
"But, my dear, there has been plenty of time for thinking. What do you say to January?" This was on the last day of November.
"January!" exclaimed Thomas, in a tone that betrayed no triumph. "I couldn't get my services arranged for in January."
"I thought a clergyman could always manage that for his marriage," said Camilla.
"Not in January. Besides, I was thinking you would like to be away in warmer weather."
They were still in November, and he was thinking of postponing it till the summer! Camilla immediately perceived how necessary it was that she should be plain with him. "We shall not have warm weather, as you call it, for a very long time, Thomas;—and I don't think that it would be wise to wait for the weather at all. Indeed, I've begun to get my things for doing it in the winter. Mamma said that she was sure January would be the very latest. And it isn't as though we had to get furniture or anything of that kind. Of course a lady shouldn't be pressing." She smiled sweetly and leaned on his arm as she said this. "But I hate all girlish nonsense and that kind of thing. It is such a bore to be kept waiting. I'm sure there's nothing to prevent it coming off in February."