anting money; or worse:
to be married! Confound women; they all seemed to want him to marry
them! There was the Oxford girl, and then the Spaniard, and now
Stephen!' This put his thoughts in a new channel. He wanted money
himself. Why, Stephen had spoken of it herself; had offered to pay his
debts. Gad! it was a good idea that every one round the countryside
seemed to know his affairs. What a flat he had been not to accept her
offer then and there before matters had gone further. Stephen had lots
of money, more than any girl could want. But she didn't give him time to
get the thing fixed . . . If he had only known beforehand what she wanted
he could have come prepared . . . that was the way with women! Always
thinking of themselves! And now? Of course she wouldn't stump up after
his refusing her. What would his father say if he came to hear of it?
And he must speak to him soon, for these chaps were threatening to County
Court him if he didn't pay. Those harpies in Vere Street were quite
nasty . . . ' He wondered if he could work Stephen for a loan.

He walked on through the woodland path, his pace slower than before. 'How
pretty she had looked!' Here he touched his little moustache. 'Gad!
Stephen was a fine girl anyhow! If it wasn't for all that red hair . . .
I like 'em dark better! . . . And her being such an infernal boss!'. . .
Then he said unconsciously aloud:

'If I was her husband I'd keep her to rights!'

Poor Stephen!

'So that's what the governor meant by telling me that fortune was to be
had, and had easily, if a man wasn't a blind fool. The governor is a
starchy old party. He wouldn't speak out straight and say, "Here's
Stephen Norman, the richest girl you are ever likely to meet; why don't
you make up to her and marry her?" But that would be encouraging his son
to be a fortune-hunter! Rot! . . . And now, just because she didn't tell
me what she wanted to speak about, or the governor didn't give me a hint
so that I might be prepared, I have gone and thrown away the chance.
After all it mightn't be so bad. Stephen is a fine girl! . . . But she
mustn't ever look at me as she did when I spoke about her not obeying. I
mean to be master in my own house anyhow!

'A man mustn't be tied down too tight, even if he is married. And if
there's plenty of loose cash about it isn't hard to cover up your tracks
. . . I think I'd better think this thing over calmly and be ready when
Stephen com