"It is unheard of.
What do they expect?
I never thought of this.

Damn it! I'm like a rat in a trap." It was plain enough that he could not arrange his fortune as he had anticipated when he decided to begin to make love to little pink and white, doll-faced Rosy Vanderpoel.

If he began to demand monetary advantages in his dealing with his future wife's people in their settlement of her fortune, he might arouse suspicion and inquiry.

He did not want inquiry either in connection with his own means or his past manner of living.

People who hated him would be sure to crop up with stories of things better left alone.