"This has been the worst half-hour of my life," Tony groaned. "My God, how I've suffered! I all but sprang up and yelled 'Stop!' when the fool looked round for someone to say why the marriage shouldn't take place----"
"'Or else _for ever after_ hold his peace,'" quoted Marise.
"Dash it all, don't rub things in," Severance begged. "I didn't know how bad it would be----"
"I half thought you _might_ spring up!" the girl confessed.
"It would have made matters worse for the future--more difficult all round," Tony said. "That thought held me back. But, Marise, it was cruel to spring this surprise on me."
"It doesn't seem to have been a surprise," she reminded him. "How _did_ you know about it--the church, and everything?"
"A little bird told me. Why did you want to hurt me so?"
Marise shrugged her shoulders. "You had hurt me--almost to death. I _had_ to strike back! But let's not talk of it any more. The thing's done--and can't be undone."
"It can, and will be, before long, please Heaven!"
The girl laughed. "Please _Heaven_?" And she was glad when Pobbles broke in, Mums at his side.
"My dear young lady, Garth confided in me (am I not his Colonel, which is much the same as a father confessor?) that this--er--this little show had been got up in a hurry for one reason or other. I'm pleased and honoured to be in at the dea--I mean the birth--er--you _know_ what I mean! And I'd be still more pleased if--er--couldn't we--I--invite you all to some sort of blow-out? My wife----"
"Sweet of you, Lord Pobblebrook!" cut in Mrs. Sorel. "But if there'd been time for any sort of rejoicing, any little feast, I should be giving it and asking Lady Pobblebrook and yourself to join us. But I suppose Major Garth can't quite have made it clear to you that he is called away suddenly--on a sort of _mission_. That's why the marriage was so rushed. He has to go at once, so he wanted to be married first, and----"
His mother-in-law of ten minutes stared at him with the eyes of a cold, boiled fish.
"Of course--yes--that's what he _wanted_," she smiled to Pobbles. "What a pity it can't be! My daughter, Lord Pobblebrook, is a servant of the public, you know. She has to obey them, marriage or no marriage. And they want her in New York."