“I shouldn’t dislike it.” After a momentary hesitation, he said, “I think you ought to know that nothing on earth would make me so happy as her coming of her own free will to stay. But she won’t.”
To say that Mrs Hilton was astonished is to use an inadequate word. It is no less certain that she was dismayed, for no woman on earth appeared to her worthy to be her son’s wife, and her “Oh, Harry!” carried in it unusual protest. He went on quickly—
“When she was here before I asked her to marry me, and she refused—”
“Refused!”
”—I don’t know whether I shall ask her again. That depends. If I don’t, one thing I know, I shall never marry another woman.”
“Refused you! What could she be thinking of!”
His mother’s indignation brought his old laugh. He got up, and straightened himself.
“Well, I’m afraid it was that she didn’t care for your son. Perhaps she never will. But she came over here to-day, and I don’t mean to give up while there’s the ghost of a chance.”
“A chance! My dear Harry, ridiculous!” cried his mother, impatiently. “But you take away my breath! I never thought of such a thing. I am not sure she’s good enough, I am not, indeed! She is a pretty creature, of course, and one knows all about her, which is always a comfort, but she has such very peculiar notions. This going about on bicycles cutting trees. My dear, I couldn’t bear that for your wife.”
“She will never do anything of which you and my father need be ashamed,” he said shortly.