This was by no means the first time the question had been asked. Again and again had Allan pleaded that his marriage might be soon. There was no reason why he should wait for his wife. His position was established, his house was ready; a house as well found as that flagship had been on whose quarter-deck the Admiral had moved as a king. Why should he wait? He could never love his future wife more dearly than he loved her now. All the framework of his life would be out of gear till he had brought her home to the house which seemed joyless and empty for want of her. "When is it to be, Suzette? When am I to be completely happy?" "What, are you not happy, _par exemple_? You talked about overwhelming happiness when I said 'Yes.'" "That was the promise of happiness. It lifted me to the skies; but it was only the promise. I am pining for the realization. I want you all to myself--to have and to hold for ever and ever; beside my hearth; interwoven with my life; mine always and always; no longer a bright, capricious spirit, glancing about me like a gleam of sunshine, and vanishing like the sunbeam; but a woman--my very own--of one mind and of one heart with me. Suzette, if you love me, you will not spin out the time of dreams; you will give yourself to me really and for ever." There was an earnestness in his tone that scared her. The blushes faded from her cheeks, and she looked at him, pale and startled, and sudden tears rushed to her eyes. "You said you would give me time," she faltered; "time to know you better--to be certain." And then recovering her gaiety in an instant--"Now, Allan, it is too bad of you. Did I not tell you that I would not be married till my one-and-twentieth birthday? Why do you tease me to alter the date? Surely you don't want to marry an infant." "And your birthday will be on the twenty-third of June," said Allan, rather sullenly. "Nearly a year from now." "Nearly a year from October to June! What odd ideas you have about arithmetic! And now I must run and find Lady Emily. We are going to drive to Morton Towers together." Allan made way for her to pass, and followed her downstairs, vexed and disheartened. His mother was to leave him next day; and then there would be one house the less in which he and Suzette could meet--the house which was to be their home. He had not visited Mrs. Wornock since her nocturnal perambulation, and he had prevented his mother paying her a second visit, albeit the hope of a white peacock and a certain interest in the widow's personality had made Lady Emily anxious to call at the Manor. Allan had found reasons for putting off any such call, without saying one disparaging word about the lady. He had heard of Mrs. Wornock from Suzette, who reproached him for going no more to Discombe. "I did not know you were so fickle," she said. "I really think you have behaved abominably to poor Mrs. Wornock. She is always asking me why you don't go to see her; and I am tired of inventing excuses."