Alma flushed a little.
'I haven't promised. After all my thinking about it, it came to this—that I couldn't make up my mind till I had talked over everything with you. If I marry, I must know what my life is going to be. And it puzzles me that you could dream of making anyone your wife before you had asked her all sorts of questions.'
In his great contentment, Harvey laughed.
'Admirable, theoretically! But how is a man to begin asking questions? How many would he ask before he got sent about his business?'
'That's the very way of putting his chance to the test!' said Alma brightly. 'If he is sent about his business, how much better for him than to marry on a misunderstanding.'
'I agree with you perfectly. I never heard anyone talk better sense on the subject.'
Alma looked pleased, as she always did when receiving a compliment.
'Will you believe, then, Mr. Rolfe, that I am quite in earnest in hating show and pretences and extravagance, and wishing to live in just the opposite way?'
'I will believe it if you cease to address me by that formal name—a show and a pretence, and just a little extravagant.'
Her cheeks grew warm again