How very tiresome you are! He has no culture, and manners, and that sort of thing." "I think he has very fine manners.

He is a little quaint, but you can't call him rude." "Oh, no, he's never rude; rather abrupt, but oh, dear, don't you know?
What would Aunt Frank say to him ?" Kate's lip curled a little.

"I'm very sure I can't say, but I can imagine how she would look." "Well, that's it--" "But," went on Kate, "I can imagine, too, how Ranald would look back at her if he caught her meaning." "Well, perhaps," said Maimie, with a little laugh, "and that's just it.
Oh, I wish he were--" "A lieutenant ?" suggested Kate.
"Well, yes, I do," said Maimie, desperately.
"And if he were, you would marry him," said Kate, a shade of contempt in her tone that Maimie failed to notice.
"Yes, I would." Kate remained silent.
"There now, you think I am horrid, I know," said Maimie.

"I suppose you would marry him if he were a mere nobody!" "If I loved him," said Kate, with slow deliberation, and a slight tremor in her voice, "I'd marry him if he were--a shantyman!" "I believe you would," said Maimie, with a touch of regret in her voice; "but then, you've no Aunt Frank!" "Thank Providence," replied Kate, under her breath.
"And I'm sure I don't want to offend her.

Just listen to this." Maimie pulled out a letter, and turning over the pages, found the place and began to read: "'I am so glad to hear that you are enjoying your stay in Quebec'-- um-um-um--'fine old city'-- um-um-um--'gates and streets,' 'old days'-- um-um-um--'noble citadel,' 'glorious view'-- um-um-um-um--'finest in the world'-- No, that isn't it--Oh, yes, here it is: 'The De Lacys are a very highly connected English family and very old friends of my friends, the Lord Archers, with whom I visited in England, you know.
The mother is a dear old lady--so stately and so very particular--with old-fashioned ideas of breeding and manners, and of course, very wealthy.