‘I should have told you everything,’ said Nora to her mother that night.  ’I had no intention to keep anything a secret from you.  But we have all been so unhappy about Louey, that we have had no heart to talk of anything else.’

‘I understand all that, my darling.’

’And I had meant that you should tell papa, for I supposed that he would come.  And I meant that he should go to papa himself.  He intended that himself, only, to-day as things turned out.’

’Just so, dearest, but it does not seem that he has got any income.  It would be very rash, wouldn’t it?’

’People must be rash sometimes.  Everybody can’t have an income without earning it.  I suppose people in professions do marry without having fortunes.’

‘When they have settled professions, Nora.’

’And why is not his a settled profession?  I believe he receives quite as much at seven and twenty as Uncle Oliphant does at sixty.’

‘But your Uncle Oliphant’s income is permanent.’

‘Lawyers don’t have permanent incomes, or doctors or merchants.’

’But those professions are regular and sure.  They don’t marry, without fortunes, till they have made their incomes sure.’

’Mr Stanbury’s income is sure.  I don’t know why it shouldn’t be sure.  He goes on writing and writing every day, and it seems to me that of all professions in the world it is the finest.  I’d much sooner write for a newspaper than be one of those old musty, fusty lawyers, who’ll say anything that they’re paid to say.’

’My dearest Nora, all that is nonsense.  You know as well as I do that you should not marry a man when there is a doubt whether he can keep a house over your head that is his position.’

‘It is good enough for me, mamma.’

‘And what is his income from writing?’

’It is quite enough for me, mamma.  The truth is I have promised, and I cannot go back from it.  Dear, dear mamma, you won’t quarrel with us, and oppose us, and make papa hard against us.  You can do what you like with papa.  I know that.  Look at poor Emily.  Plenty of money has not made her happy.’

‘If Mr Glascock had only asked you a week sooner,’ said Lady Rowley, with a handkerchief to her eyes.

‘But you see, he didn’t, mamma.’

‘When I think of it I cannot but weep;’ and the poor mother burst out into a full flood of tears ’such a man, so good, so gentle, and so truly devoted to you.’

‘Mamma, what’s the good of that now?’

‘Going down all the way to Devonshire after you!’

‘So did Hugh, mamma.’

’A position that any girl in England would have envied you.  I cannot but feel it.  And Emily says she is sure he would come back, if he got the very slightest encouragement.’

‘That is quite impossible, mamma.’

’Why should it be impossible?  Emily declares that she never saw a man so much in love in her life, and she says also that she believes he is abroad now simply because he is broken-hearted about it.’