“Of course I do!” said Elsie indignantly. “Why, mother’ll be simply furious! You don’t suppose I’m going to stand up to her all by myself, do you?” “Why should she be furious, Elsie? You’ve not done anything disgraceful in marrying me.” His voice was as quiet as ever, but his intonation told her that he was offended. “I don’t mean that,” she explained confusedly. “Of course, mother knows you, and all--it’s only the idea of me having gone and been and done it all on my own hook; that’ll upset her for a bit. She’s always wanted to make babies of us, me and Geraldine.” “You haven’t told your sister anything, have you?” “No fear. She’s a jealous thing, ever so spiteful, is Geraldine. You’ll see, she’ll be as nasty as anything when she knows I’m actually--actually----” Elsie stopped, giggling. “Actually what?” “You know very well.” “Say it.” “Actually married, then,” said Elsie, blushing a good deal and with affected reluctance. When they arrived at Hillbourne Terrace, and the taxi drew up before the familiar flight of steps, she began to feel very nervous. She told herself that she was a married woman, and looked at her new wedding-ring, but she did not feel in the least like a married woman, nor independent of Mrs. Palmer’s anger. Elsie’s mother opened the door herself. “What on earth----Are you ill, Elsie, coming home in a cab at this hour of the morning? Whatever next!” “Mr. Williams is here, Mother,” said Elsie, pushing her way into the dining-room. Geraldine was there, a check apron, torn and greasy, tied round her waist, and her hair still in curling-pins. She was placing clean forks and spoons all round the table. She looked at her sister with unfriendly surprise. Elsie had worn her everyday clothes on leaving home that morning, and had changed at Irene’s house. “Whatever are you dressed up like that for?” said Geraldine at once. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” “I’d like to know where you get the money to pay for your new hats,” said Geraldine significantly. “First one thing, and then another--I wonder you don’t sport a tiara, young Elsie.” “Perhaps I may, before I’ve done.” Elsie was not really thinking of what she was saying, but was rather listening to a sound of voices in the hall outside that denoted a conversation between Williams and Mrs. Palmer. She could not help hoping that he was breaking the news of their marriage to her mother. Elsie still felt certain that Mrs. Palmer would be very angry. It astonished her when her mother came into the room and kissed her vehemently. “You sly young monkey, you! Geraldine, has this girl told you what she’s done?” “What?” “Gone and got married! This morning!! To Mr. Horace Williams!!!” Mrs. Palmer’s voice rose in a positively jubilant crescendo. “_Married!_” screamed Geraldine. Her face became scarlet, and then grey. “My little girl, married at seventeen!” said Mrs. Palmer with her head on one side. She examined Elsie’s plump hand with its wedding-ring.