"Then you ought to be firm and insist upon fixing the wedding soon."
"I wish I could. But why?"
"Because it might be better not to leave Beatrice among her friends too long."
Harding looked surprised.
"Since the Colonel's given in, and Gerald's gone, I don't think there is anybody who would try to turn her against me."
"No," agreed Hester. "Her parents would be angry if she broke her engagement. Now that they have accepted you, you can count on their support, even if they're not quite satisfied with the match. The trouble is that you and they belong to very different schools. They'll try to make the best of you, but Beatrice will see how hard they find it."
"Hurrying on the wedding won't help much."
"It might. Beatrice will try to accept her husband's views, and she'll probably find it easier than she thinks; but at present all she sees and hears will remind her of the changes she will have to make. Things you do will not seem right; some of your ideas will jar. Then the other women will let her see that they feel sorry for her and think she's throwing herself away. She'll deny it, but it will hurt."
"Perhaps that's true," said Harding. "But talking of the wedding raises another question. I want a better house, and when I build I may as well locate at Allenwood."
"Then you are still determined on getting control there?"