“You won’t take my advice?”
“No, I won’t.”
“You refuse to be prudent in regard to the most important happening of your life?”
“I do. It’s not a matter for prudence. It belongs to another sphere. I am thirty-five. I have waited long enough. Why should I squander more weeks to satisfy a convention? She shan’t be hurried—she shall feel no obligation. I will not breathe a word about that old prophecy unless, until she consents of her own will; but she must know what I want. I would tell her to-day if I had the chance.”
“Which you shall not, if I can prevent it. It’s not fair; it’s not kind. What is Jean to think? That you are attracted by her face, and her face alone? That’s a poor compliment. If she is worth winning she is worth knowing; and she has plenty of character. So far as I can judge, her nature and yours are quite unlike. Are you quite sure that you can make her happy? In fairness to her, you ought to give her a chance of knowing you before she takes the plunge.”
“I can make her happy. I have no shadow of doubt about that. I’ll tell you something more, if you like, Miss Strangeways—I am the only man who can! She belongs to me, and I am not going to stand aside for any man—or woman—on the face of the earth!”
Vanna shrugged her shoulders, half laughing, half annoyed.
“Very well, then, now we know where we are. For the moment please understand that I have joined the opposition. I shall run off with Jean and hide her, and instil principles of prudence and caution into her ear, coupled with a due suspicion of men who make up their minds in a hurry. Don’t count upon my good offices.”
“I shan’t need them, thank you,” he returned calmly.
Vanna reflected that it would be as easy to attempt to depress an india-rubber ball.