Dick did not reply at once.
"It would be a good enough match from the worldly point of view," said the Squire.
Dick looked up quickly. "I'm the wrong man to come to for that point of view," he said. "I didn't marry from it myself; nor did you."
The Squire digested this. "It's different for men," he said, with a shade of unwillingness. "You've got to take it into account with women."
"I'm not going to advise either one way or the other," said Dick. "If Joan likes that sort of fellow, she's welcome to him; if she doesn't, I shan't blame her."
"You think it's a matter for her to decide?"
"It isn't a matter for me to decide."
"She can't very well decide unless she sees him."
"Then let her see him, if you're satisfied with him yourself. He's not my fancy; but he may be hers, for all I can tell."
The Squire went back to his wife and told her that Dick didn't care for Bobby Trench any more than he did himself, but had never heard anything against him. He didn't see any reason against his seeing Joan. She could decide for herself. Nobody would bring any pressure to bear on her. That wasn't the way things were done in these days. But Lord Sedbergh was one of his oldest friends, and wouldn't like it if he heard that they had refused to have his son in the house. He shouldn't like it himself. Young Trench had better be asked to Kencote with the rest, for these balls that were coming on after Christmas. If he showed that he had anything in him, well and good. If not, he needn't be asked again, and no harm would be done.