man and wife; but then, my
darling, consider this: first of all it is in the highest degree
probable that a marriage performed on board a ship by her captain is
legal. Next, that your aunt would suppose we regarded the union as
legal, when of course she would be forced to conclude we considered
ourselves man and wife. Would she then _dare_ come between us? Her
consent must be wrung from her by this politic stroke of shipboard
wedding that to her mind would be infinitely more significant than our
association in the yacht. She will go about and inquire if a shipboard
wedding is legal; her lawyers will answer her as best they can, but
their advice will be, secure your niece by sending your consent to
Penzance, that she may be legitimately married in an English Church by
a Church of England clergyman."

She listened thoughtfully, but with an air of childish simplicity that
was inexpressibly touching to my love for her.

"It would be merely a ceremony," said she, leaning her cheek on her
hand, "to strengthen your appeal to Aunt Amelia?"

"Wholly, my darling."

"Well, dearest," said she gently, "if you wish it--"

I could have taken her to my heart for her ready compliance. I had
expected a resolved refusal, and had promised myself some hours that
evening and next day of exhortation, entreaty, representation. I was
indeed hot on the project, and even as I talked to her I felt my
enthusiasm growing. Secretly I had no doubt whatever that Captain
Parsons was empowered as master of a British merchantman to marry us,
and though, as I had told her, I should consider the ceremony as simply
an additional weapon for fighting Aunt Amelia with, yet as a contract
it might securely bind us too; we were to be parted only by the action
of the aunt; this I felt assured, for the sake of her niece's fame and
future and for her own name, her ladyship would never attempt; so that
from the moment the captain ended the service, Grace would be my wife
to all intents and purposes, which indeed was all we had in view when
we glided out of Boulogne harbour in the poor little _Spitfire_.

However, though she had sweetly and promptly consented, a great deal
remained to talk about. I repeated all that Captain Parsons, and all
that Mr. Higginson had said, and when we had exhausted the subject we
naturally spoke of our prospects of quitting the _Carthusian_; and one
subject suggesting another, we sat chatting till about nine o'clock, at
whi