But Ella’s expression changed to one of sincerest anxiety.
“Oh, no, indeed I hope she won’t! It would break his heart!” she said.
“I thought you considered her such an inappropriate wife for him?”
Ella reddened. She had thought so once, and she thought so no longer; but when and how her thoughts and feelings on the subject had changed, she hardly knew.
“It is very difficult to judge accurately in such matters. You see it’s impossible to deny that they’re passionately fond of each other, and you mustn’t judge of the chances of a marriage by the way it came about, you know.”
“No,” said Clarence, interested, “marriage is an odd thing.”
“Well,” said Ella brusquely, “we must be getting back now.”
“Won’t you wait till the yacht’s out of sight?”
Ella stopped and looked out to sea again, but she dug the end of her sunshade into the ground with nervous impatience.
“I’m so sorry it’s all over; we’ve had such a jolly time getting it all ready, haven’t we?” said he sentimentally.