"What would we have done without the duke?" I murmured a moment later.
"There's a more important question than that to be answered," said Blakely; "we have still to decide what we shall do with the duke."
"I don't understand."
"It's my charming way of breaking news gently, sweetheart."
"Bad news?"
"Not exactly. It may annoy you."
"It annoys me that you seems afraid to tell it," I said.
"I'm not afraid, not the least bit. I'm a little ashamed, though. You see mother is....."
"Don't dare adopt an apologizing attitude towards your mother. Hasn't she done everything in the world for us?"
"There are some things one would rather do for oneself, girlie. I had quite set my heart on Perry Arnold being best man at our wedding."
"And so he shall be."
"I wrote him a week ago, and his answer came this morning. He was delighted, poor chap! He's in Denver, now, and could be here in three days." "You won't need him for three months," I warned. "But why can't you have him, dear?"
"Because mother has already engaged the duke in that capacity."
"Not really?"
"It's the gospel truth. Perry will think me no end of a snob. I won't know what explanation to make."
"Nonsense! I'll explain it to him myself."
"Then you feel I ought to accept mother's arrangements?"
"You must, if it will make her happy."
"She assured me she would be most miserable if I didn't."
"Then it's settled," I said.
"That's not all, Elizabeth; the duke is sailing for Japan on the twenty-sixth of February."
"And this is the twentieth!" I gasped.
"Yes, sweetheart. And mother has arranged our wedding for the twenty-fourth."
I was silent from sheer indignation.
"I told mother you wouldn't like it. But will you.....? Do you.....? Would you mind very much being married on the twenty-fourth?"
"Would you mind?" I asked.
"Mind? I should love it above everything! Life is so uncertain, each day is so precious, and I've waited so long for you, Elizabeth."
"You've only known me a little over a month."
"But I've waited years for you;"
"Yes," I said, "I believe you have: It shall be as you wish, dear."
And then, as a woman's greatest happiness lies in making the man she loves happy, and as no one ever looked so radiantly happy as Blakely, I was so glad I had said "yes," I didn't know what to do.
But Blakely knew exactly what to do; he kissed me.