Roland could hardly believe it: so young a woman married to that shriveled, prosaic solicitor.
“Oh, yes,” said Muriel, “they’ve been married nearly three years now; and they’ve got such a darling little girl: Rosemary; you’ll see her to-morrow. She’s got the loveliest hair. It crinkles when you run your fingers through it.”
“But--oh, well, I suppose it’s rather cheek, but he’s years older.”
“Uncle Arnold?” replied Muriel cheerfully. “Oh, yes, I think he must be nearly fifty.” Then after a pause, light-heartedly as though the possession of a family skeleton was something of an honor, “I don’t think they like each other much.”
“They are always quarreling. I never saw such a couple for it. If there’s a discussion he’s only got to take one side for her to take the other.”
“Well, I don’t see very well how she could be in love with him, he’s such a....” Roland paused, realizing that it would be hardly good manners to disparage Muriel’s uncle. But she did not intend him to leave the sentence unfinished.
“No, I didn’t; really I didn’t. I’m sure your uncle’s awfully nice, but he’s so much older, and you can’t be in love with someone so much older than yourself.”
“I see; you’re forgiven”; then after a pause and with a mischievous smile: “Have you ever been in love, Roland?”
“Oh, how lovely!” and she turned quickly and sat facing him, her knees drawn up, her hands clasped in front of them. “Now tell me all about it. I’ve always wanted to have a talk with someone who’s really been in love, and I never have.”
She pouted. “Gerald! Oh, well, but he laughs at me, and besides---- But come on and tell me all about it.”
She made a pretty picture as she sat there, her face alight with the eagerness of curious girlhood, and Roland felt to the full the fascination of such a confessional. “It was a long time ago,” he said, “and it’s all over now.”
“Never mind that,” Muriel persisted. “What was her name?”
“Of course; I shouldn’t have been in love with her if she hadn’t been.”
Muriel tossed back her head and laughed. “Oh, but how absurd, Roland! Some of the ugliest women I’ve ever seen have managed to get husbands.”
“And some pretty hideous-looking men get pretty wives.”
“But I suppose the pretty wives think their ugly husbands are all right.”