'What did the young man do ?' Had Constance turned she would have found Tony's face an interesting study.

But she knew well enough without looking at him that he was listening to the conversation, and she determined to give him something to listen to.

It was a salutary thing for Tony to be kept in mind of the fact that there were other men in the world.
She sighed.
'He was the first man I ever loved, father, and he spurned me.

Do you remember that Christmas when I was in boarding-school and you were called South on business?
I wanted to visit Nancy Long, but you wouldn't let me because you didn't like her father; and you got Mrs.Jerymn Hilliard whom I had never set eyes on to invite me there?
I didn't want to go, and you said I must, and was perfectly horrid about it ?--you remember that ?' Mr.Wilder grunted.
'Yes, I see you do.

And you remember how, with my usual sweetness, I finally gave way?
Well, Dad, you never knew the reason.