"I didn’t like the lover to-night," said Dove, critically. "He seemed as if his clothes were quite new. I can’t bear a lover coming with new clothes, and trying to make an effect. A lover should forget his tailor when he is in love. And I am against people being married in new clothes, with bridesmaids in new clothes, and everybody in new clothes, and everybody feeling cramped, and stiff, and embarrassed. When I marry, I shall have my husband wear the old, old suit in which I used to see him come home from his work!—the clothes which I’ve got to love about as much as himself. I shan’t have the tailor come between him and me." "The heroine was rather pretty," hazarded Will, concerning the imaginary play. "Well, yes. But she made love to us, and not to him. And I can’t bear kissing on the stage—before such a lot of people—why don’t they do all that before they come on the stage, and then appear as engaged or married?" "But you would have to employ a chorus to come and explain to the audience what was going on in the ’wings,’" said Will. And so they chatted, and gossiped, and laughed, and it seemed as if they were again down in the old and happy Kentish valley. When they had retired for the night, Mr. Anerley told his wife his suspicions about the ring. "I was afraid he had done something like that," she said. "But who could regret it, seeing Dove so delighted? I hope he won’t do it again, however. I should tell him of it but that I know he will be vexed if we mention it." By common consent the case of champagne was relegated to the grand occasions of the future. The family was not in a position to pay a wine-merchant’s bill; and so they remained contented with the knowledge that on any sudden prompting they had it in their power to become extravagant and luxurious. Then Dove was better, so far as they could see; and they bore their little hardships with wonderful equanimity. She was better, doubtless, but she was very delicate; and the doctor had had a long and serious conversation with Mr. Anerley, in which he was advised to take Dove to spend the rest of the winter in Italy. Sirius was quite as possible a destination.