And even now...

He chose a tie out of the chest of drawers, a blue and cream check tie, and sat on the side of his bed.
Supposing she replied, "What impertinence!" would he be surprised?
Not in the least, he decided, turning up his soft collar and turning it down over the tie.

He expected her to say something like that.

He didn't see, if he looked at the affair dead soberly, what else she could say.
Here he was! And nervously he tied a bow in front of the mirror, jammed his hair down with both hands, pulled out the flaps of his jacket pockets.

Making between 500 and 600 pounds a year on a fruit farm in--of all places--Rhodesia.