“I never said I wanted to marry him.”
“No; but because of him you don’t want to marry anybody else, which comes to much the same thing, so far as your future is concerned.”
She thought a little while, rubbing her forehead as before, then replied:
“Well, all this is very clear and outspoken, but I suppose that you don’t expect an answer at once. Remember that Rupert himself may have views. He is quite the sort of man who will not marry at all, on principle. Also, you only have my account to go on, you have not seen him yet since he was a boy. When you have, you may cease to think this proposed—arrangement—desirable.”
“Quite true,” he answered. “You have a very logical mind. Bring him to dinner here to-night, and we will talk the matter over again in a few days’ time.”
Edith rose to go, but he stopped her.
“How is your banking account?” he asked.
“For all practical purposes I believe it has ceased to exist,” she answered gravely, for the matter was one which really troubled her.
He smiled, and taking his book from a drawer, filled in a cheque.
“There,” he said; “that may help to keep the wolf from the door for a little while, and I daresay you want some dresses.”