It's due to the fact that, although young, I've been for long the responsible head of a family." Bess mentioned this latter dignified condition with complacency.

It left her exempt from those troubles, like a bramble patch, into which Dorothy was plunged.
Both Dorothy and Richard were inclined to agree with their monitress.
Richard was too wholly of the battle-ax breed to favor stealth and creeping about.

It was in his heart to marry Dorothy defiantly, and at noon.

Dorothy's reasons were less robust; she was thinking on her father and "Uncle Pat," and all their kindnesses.

She could not make up her loyal heart to any step that smacked of treachery to them.
"And yet," observed Richard, "here we are where we started." Then turning to Bess: "You have told us what we should not do, and told us extremely well.