“Miss Stretton, if I had had a sensible woman to advise me, I am certain I would never have lost my money.”
“Was it a large amount?”
“It was a fortune.”
“How one lives and learns! I have often heard that women squander fortunes, but never yet that a woman helped to preserve one.”
“It is better for a man’s wife to squander a fortune than to allow a stranger to do it.”
“Oh, I am not so sure. The end seems to be the same in both cases. I suppose you have in your mind the woman who would have given you good advice at the proper time.”
“Yes, I have.”
“Then why don’t you ask her now, or is it too late?”
“I don’t know that she would have anything to do with me; however, it is very easy to find out. Miss Stretton, will you marry me? I have nothing particular to offer you except myself, but I think I’ve reached the lowest ebb of my fortunes, and any change must be toward improvement.”
“Good gracious, is this actually a proposal?”