Chris nodded. "It's only in the clouds at present. He said something
about giving it to me when we marry. But of course," rather hastily,
"we're not going to be married for ever so long. It would have to belong
to him till then. He is going to talk to you about it presently. You
wouldn't object, would you? You are entitled to your share now, he says,
and Max will come into his directly. But Noel's will have to go into
trust till he is of age."

"An excellent idea!" declared Rupert. "I'm damnably hard up, as your
worthy _fiancé_ has probably divined. But why this notion of not getting
married for ever so long? I don't quite follow the drift of that."

"Oh, don't be silly!" said Chris, colouring very deeply. "How could we
possibly? Everyone would say I was marrying him for his money?"

"And that is not so?" questioned Rupert.

"Of course it isn't!" She spoke with a vehemence almost fiery. "I--I'm
not such a pig as that!"

"No?" He leaned his head back upon the cushion and gazed up at her
flushed face. "What are you marrying him for?" he asked.

Chris looked back at him with a hint of defiance in her blue eyes. "What
do most people marry for?" she demanded.

He laughed carelessly. "Heaven knows! Generally because they're stupid
asses. The men want housekeepers and the women want houses, and neither
want to pay for such luxuries. Those are the two principal reasons, if
you ask me."