If you disapproved of it _before_ my marriage with your son, why did you not say so ?" "There were many reasons," says Lady Rylton slowly, deliberately.
"For one, as you know, your money was a necessity to Maurice; and for another----" She breaks off, and scans the girl's face with an air of question.

"Dare I go on ?" asks she.
"Why should you not dare ?" says Tita.
A quick light has come into her eyes.
"Ah, that is it! I have something to say to you that I think, perhaps, should be said, yet I fear the saying of it." "For you, or for me ?" asks Tita.
She has her small brown hands clasped tightly together in her lap now.

There is something nervous in the tension of them.

Where, _where_ is Margaret?
For all that, she looks back at her mother-in-law with a clear and fearless glance.
"For you," says Lady Rylton--"for you only! But before I begin--I am a very nervous person, you know, and scenes," again pressing her handkerchief to her face, "upset me so--tell me, _do_ tell me, if you have a good temper!" "I don't know," says Tita.

"Why ?" "Well, a reasonable temper! I know Maurice would try anything--_less_ than that." "Has it to do with Maurice?
Yes?
I am _very_ reasonable," says Tita, laughing.