as the answer.

"I believe you are thoroughly afraid of him and Carrissima. Well, so
am I," she admitted.

Colonel Faversham had never held Lawrence in greater awe than at this
moment when he believed that happiness lay within his grasp. He
perceived that Carrissima the previous evening must have been
attempting to influence him, and consequently that she already
suspected his intentions. Now Colonel Faversham had often turned the
matter over in his mind, with the result that he conceived a plan
which, if it could only be carried successfully out, might obviate
everything unpleasant.

"Lawrence," he said, "is a good fellow. A little too good, perhaps. I
have never pretended to be an anchorite. I've too much warm blood
still in my veins. Come to that, I'm to all intents and purposes a
younger man than my son. I have the greatest respect for Lawrence, but
he seems to have been born old."

"You can't say that of Carrissima!"

"No, no, a dear girl," he replied. "But a little sarcastic at times.
I detest sarcasm. I won't allow it. But no man can control a woman's
face. I can see Carrissima's smile," he added, taking out his
handkerchief and mopping his forehead.

"How ridiculous," said Bridget, "to make yourself so uncomfortable on
my account."

"Let him laugh who wins!" cried Colonel Faversham. "If they think I'm
a fool--well, I don't want to be wise. Of course, there's one way----"

"What is that?" asked Bridget.

"I don't know whether you would put up with it," said the colonel.
"Why," he suggested with eager eyes on her face, "why in the world
shouldn't we keep it to ourselves?"

"How would it be possible?" she said, with a thoughtful expression.

"Trust me for that," was the answer. "There are few things I can't do
when I make up my mind. Admit the principle, and everything else is
easy! Keep it dark, you know. In the first place you've got to
promise to be my wife. We don't breathe a word to any living being.
Then one fine morning we go out and get the knot tied: at a registry
office, a church, anywhere you like."

"I shouldn't feel that I was properly married," said Bridget, "unless I
went to church."

"Then you will!" urged Colonel Faversham, half beside himself with
satisfaction.

"Please let me hear the whole scheme," she insisted.

"Don't you see," he explained, "you and I--my dear little wife--would
be off somewhere abroad. Anywhere you choose!"

"Italy," said Bridget. "