"Agreed!"
A few minutes afterwards the motor was ordered round, and the gentlemen
prepared to go. Then the silver-haired terrier was missed, and for the
first time that day his lordship betrayed a vivid interest, telling us
its price and pedigree and how much he would give rather than lose it.
But at the last moment Tommy appeared with the dog in his arms and
dropped it into the car, whereupon my intended husband thanked him
effusively.
"Yes," said Tommy, "I thought you set store by _that_, sir."
At the next moment the car was gone.
"Well, you _are_ a lucky girl," said Betsy Beauty; and Aunt Bridget
began to take credit to herself for all that had come to pass, and to
indicate the methods by which she meant to manage Castle Raa as soon as
ever I became mistress of it.
Thus in my youth, my helplessness, my ignorance, and my inexperience I
became engaged to the man who had been found and courted for me. If I
acquiesced, I had certainly not been consulted. My father had not
consulted me. My intended husband had not consulted me. Nobody consulted
me. I am not even sure that I thought anybody was under any obligation
to consult me. Love had not spoken to me, sex was still asleep in me,
and my marriage was arranged before my deeper nature knew what was being
done.