‘Sensibly? What a word to use!’
‘The right word, I think.’
‘What a vexatious boy you are! You don’t really think so at all. You only speak so because you like to tease me.’
‘Well, you certainly do look pretty when you’re defending the castles in the air. Give me a kiss.’
‘Indeed, I shall not. Tell me seriously what you mean. What does Mrs. Waltham think about it?’
‘Give me a kiss, and I’ll tell you. If not, I’ll go away and leave you to find out everything as best you can.’
‘Oh, Alfred, you’re a sad tyrant!’
‘Of course I am. But it’s a benevolent despotism. Well, mother wants Adela to accept him. In fact, she asked me if I didn’t think you’d help us. Of course I said you would.’
‘Then you were very hasty. I’m not joking now, Alfred. I think of Adela in a way you very likely can’t understand. It would be shocking, oh! shocking, to try and make her marry him if she doesn’t really wish to.’
‘No fear! We shan’t manage that.’