“And you astonish me! She is far too young. What you want, Hugo, is a handsome, clever, well-bred girl, who has been about the world a bit, who will be able to manage a big establishment, and take her proper place in the County.”
“Thank you, I know that sort! but they wouldn’t suit me. I’m not looking for a manageress, or a housekeeper, what I want is a beauty who makes everyone turn round, and stare at her.”
“Ah!” exclaimed Mrs. Blagdon, and she relapsed into silence. Hugo’s choice might have been much worse. To tell the truth, she had always anticipated that a lady from the boards of the Jollity Theatre would be her future daughter-in-law.
“And when is it to be?” she asked at last.
“I am going straight home now to propose for her. I’ll get it fixed up as soon as the trousseau is in hand. I’d like to spend May on the Italian lakes.”
“You seem pretty sure of her, my dear Hugo.”
“I’m sure of her aunt, and that comes to the same thing; the girl has never been allowed to have a will of her own, and wouldn’t say boo to a goose.”
“I shouldn’t have thought that was your style. However, I am thankful that your future wife will be a lady. She has good blood in her veins, and no doubt will develop; the one great drawback in my opinion is, that she is too young.”
“Well, there’s something in that, you know,” he replied. “She has no past—hasn’t had time to have one.”
“No, and most of your lady friends have not one—but half a dozen.”