"Then perhaps they'll find something after they're married," retorted Eliza, "and the looking for it will give a spice to life. There's many a man—ay, and woman, too!—who have fallen deeper in love after they've taken the plunge than ever they did while they were hovering on the brink."
"That may be true in some cases," responded St. John. "But you're advocating a big risk, Eliza."
"And there's mighty few things worth having in this world that aren't obtained at a risk," averred Mrs. McBain stoutly. "You've always been for wrapping Nan up in cotton wool, St. John—shielding her from this, protecting her from that! Sic' havers! She'd be more of a woman if you'd let her stand on her own feet a bit."
Lord St. John sighed.
"Well, she'll have to stand on her own feet henceforth," he said.
"What about the money?" demanded Eliza. "Are you still going to allow her the same income?"
"I think not," he answered thoughtfully. "That was to give her freedom of choice—freedom from matrimony if she wished. Well, she's chosen. And I believe Nan will be all the better for being dependent on her husband for—everything. At any rate, just at first."
Kitty looked somewhat dubious, but Mrs. McBain nodded her approval vigorously.
"That's sound common-sense," she said decidedly. "More than I expected of ye, St. John."
He smiled a little. Then, seeing the unspoken question in Kitty's eyes, he turned to her reassuringly.