He meant to startle his daughter and he succeeded.
“But if I fell in love with him – ” Oletha began.
“He would surely run a hundred miles rather than allow himself to fall in love with you,” the Colonel interrupted before she could finish her sentence.
Oletha’s eyes were very wide and he went on,
“The English have a rooted objection to being subservient to their wives and so do real men the world over. If the woman is as rich as they are, however attractive she may be, they would take every possible precaution not to become too involved with her in case she entices them into matrimony.”
“But you – married Mama,” Oletha faltered.
“As you are well aware, I would not have done so had she been as rich as you are and I fell in love with her before I realised that she was anything but just
