'Well, I suppose you must know sooner or later. It only means that
they are taken by surprise.'

Violet gazed at him in perplexity, then, with a dawning perception,
'Oh! surely you don't mean they did not approve of it.'

'Nobody asked them,' said Arthur, carelessly, then as she turned away,
covering her face with her hands, 'But it is nothing to take to heart
in that way. I am my own master, you know, you silly child, and you
had plenty of consent, and all that sort of thing, to satisfy you, so
you are quite out of the scrape.'

She scarcely seemed to hear.

'Come, come, Violet, this won't do,' he continued, putting his arm
round her, and turning her towards him, while he pulled down her hands.
'This is pretty usage. You can't help it now if you would.'

'Oh! Mr. Martindale!'

'Ah! you don't know what I have saved you. I was not going to see all
that pink paint worn off those cheeks, nor your life and my own wasted
in waiting for them to bring their minds to it. I have seen enough of
that. Poor John there--'

'How?--what?' said Violet, with alarmed curiosity.

'She died,' said Arthur.