"We won't discuss that, please," I said with hauteur; "and we won't be too
emphatic about what is past. It _is_ past. I'll find out what is a
proper scale of expenditure for a young lawyer's wife in New York, and I
shall not exceed it. I've been living very economically for the sphere
that seemed open to me. Perhaps I ought not to have tried it; but I think
you should blame those who lured me into extravagance and then deserted
me. I've had a terrible, terrible experience! Do you know that? And I was
within an ace of becoming an ornament of the British peerage. Did you know
that?"
"Yes; I don't blame you for refusing, either; some girls don't seem to
have the necessary strength of mind. No; I'm not blaming anybody for
anything. Nelly, next week it will be a year since our first betrothal; do
you remember? Haven't you, after all, loved me a little, all the time?"
He looked at me wistfully.
"At least," I said, "I didn't love Lord Strathay."
I didn't think it necessary to correct him as to my refusal of the Earl.
"We'll see if Kitty won't take you in again until we can be married," he
said, jabbing the paper again and changing the subject almost brusquely.
Pages:
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360