"Sadie's rather a friend of mine." In a sense, this was true.

When Festing first came to the prairie from a mountain construction camp, where he had not seen a woman for twelve months, he had felt Sadie's charm.

Moreover, he imagined that the girl liked him and consciously used her power, although with a certain reserve and modesty.

For all that, he fought against his inclination and conquered without much effort.

Marriage had not much attraction for him, but if he did marry, he meant to choose a wife of a different type.
"Sadie's a very good sort," Charnock resumed.