Fisher. A man in his
profession could be immensely helped by a clever and attractive wife.
Why had she not been attractive sooner? Why this sudden flowering?
Mr. Wilkins began too to believe there was something peculiar, as
Lotty had almost at once informed him, in the atmosphere of San
Salvatore. It promoted expansion. It brought out dormant qualities.
And feeling more and more pleased, and even charmed, by his wife, and
very content with the progress he was making with the two others, and
hopeful of progress to be made with the retiring third, Mr. Wilkins
could not remember ever having had such an agreeable holiday. The only
thing that might perhaps be bettered was the way they would call him
Mr. Wilkins. Nobody said Mr. Mellersh-Wilkins. Yet he had introduced
himself to Lady Caroline--he flinched a little on remembering the
circumstances--as Mellersh-Wilkins.
Still, this was a small matter, not enough to worry about. He
would be foolish if in such a place and such society he worried about
anything. He was not even worrying about what the holiday was costing,
and had made up his mind to pay not only his own expenses but his
wife's as well, and surprise her at the end by presenting her with her
nest-egg as intact as when she started; and just the knowledge that he
was preparing a happy surprise for her made him feel warmer than ever
towards her.
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