"There's no reason in the world why you shouldn't marry Mrs.
Crofton--after a decent interval has elapsed.

All I meant to say--and I'd rather say it right out now--is that as most people know that her husband hasn't been dead more than a few weeks, you ought to be rather careful, all the more careful if--if your friendship should come to anything, Godfrey." "But it won't!" he exclaimed, with a touch of the old heat, "indeed it won't, Janet.

To tell you the truth, I don't think I shall ever marry." "_I_ certainly shouldn't if I were a rich bachelor," she said laughing; and yet somehow what he had just said hurt her.
As for Radmore, he felt just a little jarred by her words.

Had she quite forgotten all that had happened in that long ago which, in a sense, seemed to belong to another life?
He hadn't, and since his arrival yesterday certain things had come back in a rushing flood of memory.
"I've something to do in the garden now." Janet was smiling--she really did feel perhaps rather absurdly relieved.

Like Timmy, she didn't care for Mrs.Crofton, and the mere suspicion that Godfrey Radmore had come back here to Old Place in order to carry on a love affair had disturbed her.
"By the way, how's McPherson ?" he asked abruptly.