oung and charming,
charming.

"Yes," she said. "But don't ask me too soon, will you?"

"How, too soon--?" He smiled delightedly.

"You'll give me time to wonder about you, won't you? You won't ask
me again this month, will you?"

"This month?" His eyes beamed with pleasure. He enjoyed the
procrastination as much as she did. "But the month's only just
begun! However! Yes, you shall have your way. I won't ask you again
this month."

"And I'll promise to wonder about you all the month," she laughed.

"That's a bargain," he said.

They went downstairs, and Alvina returned to her duties. She was
very much excited, very much excited indeed. A big, well-to-do man
in a navy blue suit, of handsome appearance, aged fifty-three, with
white teeth and a delicate stomach: it _was_ exciting. A sure
position, a very nice home and lovely things in it, once they were
dragged about a bit. And of course he'd adore her. That went without
saying. She was as fussy as if some one had given her a lovely new
pair of boots. She was really fussy and pleased with herself: and
_quite_ decided she'd take it all on. That was how it put itself to
her: she would take it all on.

Of course there was the man himself to consider. But he was quite
presentable. There was nothing at all against it: nothing at all. If
he had pressed her during the first half of the month of August, he
would almost certainly have got her. But he only beamed in
anticipation.

Meanwhile the stir and restlessness of the war had begun, and was
making itself felt even in Lancaster. And the excitement and the
unease began to wear through Alvina's rather glamorous fussiness.
Some of her old fretfulness came back on her. Her spirit, which had
been as if asleep these months, now woke rather irritably, and
chafed against its collar. Who was this elderly man, that she should
marry him? Who was he, that she should be kissed by him. Actually
kissed and fondled by him! Repulsive. She avoided him like the
plague. Fancy reposing against his broad, navy blue waistcoat! She
started as if she had been stung. Fancy seeing his red, smiling face
just above hers, coming down to embrace her! She pushed it away with
her open hand. And she ran away, to avoid the thought.

And yet! And yet! She would be so comfortable, she would be so
well-off for the rest of her life. The hateful problem of material
circumstance would be solved for ever. And she knew well how hateful
material circumstance