One's cousin always pretended to hate one's husband; that was traditional, classical; it was a part of one's cousin's always pretending to adore one.

Ralph was nothing if not critical; and though she would certainly, other things being equal, have been as glad to marry to please him as to please any one, it would be absurd to regard as important that her choice should square with his views.

What were his views after all?
He had pretended to believe she had better have married Lord Warburton; but this was only because she had refused that excellent man.

If she had accepted him Ralph would certainly have taken another tone; he always took the opposite.

You could criticise any marriage; it was the essence of a marriage to be open to criticism.