"Must have you looking a credit to US," the self-constituted female batman said to her. "Remember, all eyes—such as there are of 'em here—are upon you! The girl that's going to marry the D.S.O. You jolly well reflect back on the Camp, my girl, and then some more D.S.O.'s will come round looking to see if there's any more at home like you (perhaps). You let me put your belt straight. Now, got a clean handkie? Like a drop o' Lil's scent on it? No? He don't care for scent? All right. Now I think you're ready"—all this was just before Elizabeth and I started off for that somewhat eventful tea at the house of Sybil's employers.
"Now, young Celery-face," Vic went on, "how do you look? Yes, you'll do nicely. Of course I may be a bit more particular about the way I turn you out as soon as you get engaged. You'll be the next, I bet——"
"I shouldn't bet much," I advised her, smiling above the little stab at my heart as I disengaged myself from Vic's kindly hands—and clothes-brush. "You'll only be disappointed. I shall not oblige you by getting engaged from the farm, Vic!"
"Oh! Why ever not, if I may inquire?"
"Largely because nobody is likely to ask me!" I answered as we left the hut.
"Ah, go on!" Vic called after me as she stood in the doorway, laughing and waving the clothes-brush. "F'rall you know, somebody's going to ask you at this Do this very afternoon!"
Now if Vic had heard the story of that Sunday afternoon-party that was coming, I expect her verdict would have been: "There! What did I tell you? Many a true word is spoken in jest!"
That afternoon witnessed my first offer of marriage—No, I had forgotten. It was not my first. My first had been by letter, that improbable-sounding sort of letter that I'd received in the Spring from the young man called Richard Wynn, and that I had tossed away by mistake into a London County Council waste-paper bin before I'd even answered it. That was the first!
The second was by word of mouth, and it took place under the sun of early July, in one of the prettiest country gardens that ever——
But I'll begin with the house where we were invited by these people for whom our colleague Sybil was now working.