In the course of time a child may be born--without a father to look after him.

It's a terrific responsibility." She knelt upright and put both her hands on my shoulders, almost embracing me, and the laughter died away from her eyes, giving place to something which awakened memories of what I had seen once or twice in the eyes of the dearest of all women.

She put her face very close to mine and whispered: "Don't you see, dear, it's in some sort of way because of that?
Don't you think it would be awful for a strong, clean, brave English life like his to go out without leaving behind him someone to--well, you know what I mean--to carry on the same traditions--to be the same clean brave Englishman in the future ?" I smiled and nodded.

Quite a different kind of nod from the previous one.
"Thousands of girls are doing it, you dear old Early Victorian, and aren't ashamed to say so to those who really love and can understand them.

And you do love and understand, don't you ?" She set me off at arm's length, and held me with her bright unflinching eyes.
"I do, my dear," said I."But there's only one thing that troubles me.
Marriage is a lifelong business.