"Then ask him by all means. But ..."
She looked at her quickly and teasingly.
"But what?"
"Jo, do you care about this man?"
"What d'you mean? Why should I care? Or, leastways, why shouldn't I?"
"No reason at all. He's a good bit younger than you are, but then I always fancied that if you married it ud be a man younger than yourself."
"Who said I was going to marry him?"
"No one. But if you care ..."
"I never said I did."
"Oh, you're impossible," said Ellen with a little shrug. She picked up a book from the table, but Joanna could not let the conversation drop.