"What!" shrieked her mother, with extraordinary lung-power for an invalid.
"We think it bad form at school to talk about marriage."
Her parents both stared at her blankly.
"Well, you can just think it good form to talk about it now," said Sir Gambier, feeling for some vague reason that he had said something rather witty.
"Your school must be an extraordinary place," said Lady Strife. "I shall have to write to the principal—now, don't interrupt—I shall certainly write; I won't have such ideas put into your head. You're quite old enough to think seriously of marriage. Why, I'd already had two offers at your age."
Tony looked surprised. She was very fond of her mother, but always wondered how she had ever managed to get married at all, and that she should have had more than one chance seemed positively miraculous.
Lady Strife saw the surprised look, and spoke more sharply.
"Really, Antoinette, you're no more than a great baby. You need education in the most ordinary matters. I'll write to your Aunt Margaret, and ask her to get some eligible men to meet you. Now don't cry."
Tony was actually crying. She was generally as chary and ashamed of tears as a boy.