It seemed to Geoffrey that he could never be free from the collection of young men who hung about her skirts.

Some of them were very good fellows whom he liked exceedingly; still, on the whole he would have preferred to remain unmarried and associate with them at the club.

Also the continual round of society and going out brought heavier expenses on him that he could well support.

And thus, little by little, poor Geoffrey's dream of matrimonial bliss faded into thin air.

But, fortunately for himself, he possessed a certain share of logic and sweet reasonableness.