None of them seemed to think of the money side at all. Brackenbury was always improvident as a boy; but, until you've felt the pinch as Will and I have done, you don't learn anything about values. Four thousand a year _sounds_ very pleasant, but if it's now only equal to _two_... And Phyllida has always lived up to anything she's had. "I want it, therefore I must have it" has been her rule. Clothes, trinkets, little treats... She has four horses, eating their heads off, while my poor Will says he stands hat in hand before any one who'll mount him. And her own little car... I know a brick wall when I see one; it was no use asking Phyllida whether she thought she could afford a husband as well as everything else. And a family; one has to look ahead... Colonel Butler wouldn't be earning anything for years. He told me so. I liked him more and more, because he was so simple and straightforward. After luncheon on the Saturday, we had a long talk together. I think I said I'd shew him the house. As you know, I yield to no one in my love for the dear old Hall, but Colonel Butler was like a child. You'd have said he'd never been inside a big house before; I don't believe he ever had... I took him everywhere, even Phyllida's rooms; it was well for him to _see_, I felt... I remember he thanked me for having him invited to the Hall; from his tone you'd have said I was playing fairy god-mother, and he credited _me_ with the very friendly reception that every one had given him. If the truth must be known--I wasn't taking sides; you must understand that!--I wanted _them_ to see and I wanted _him_ to see... As Will once said, "Half the world doesn't know how the other half lives." _I_ felt that, when Colonel Butler stood there, everything sinking in. A man, I suppose, always is rather bewildered at the number of things a girl requires--frocks, gloves, hats, shoes, stockings... You mustn't think that I shewed him Phyllida's wardrobe! Goodness me, no! But her maid was in the room, getting things ready for the child's return from hunting. It was almost pathetic; one could fancy the poor young man counting on his fingers and saying: "She _must_ have as good a room as this, she'll want to keep on her present maid, I don't suppose she can even prepare a bath for herself or fasten her dress or brush her hair..." But it's better for that kind of thing to sink in at the beginning... Wherever I took him, he seemed to be saying: "You can't do this sort of thing without _so_ many servants, _so_ much a year." .. Will told me that the first night at dinner... But I'm afraid Will's naughty sometimes... He thanked me--Colonel Butler did--in a way that suggested I hadn't shewn him _only_ the house. "But I've enjoyed it," I said. "I'm only sorry you weren't able to go out with the rest."