Deep in her heart she knew she would never, never, _never_, become Mrs.Tapster.On the other hand, she was aware that there were many people in the London set among whom she now lived and had her being, who would regard her as mad to refuse a man who, whatever his peculiarities, possessed enormous wealth.

If only she could have had a tenth part of James Tapster's money without James Tapster, what a happy woman she would have been! As it was, Bubbles told herself fretfully that she had no wish to be married.

She was not yet tired of the kind of idle-busy life she led; it was an amusing and stimulating life; and though she had her dark hours, when nothing seemed worth while, up to the present time there had been much more sunshine than shadow.

The girl was sufficiently clever and sensitive to realize her good fortune in the matter of Bill Donnington.
Sometimes, deep in her heart, she told herself that when she had drunk her cup of pleasure, amusement, and excitement to the dregs--perhaps in ten years from now--she would at last reward Donnington's long faithful love and selfless devotion.

And rather to her own surprise, during the half-hour which followed Tapster's uninspired proposal, Bubbles thought far more of Donnington than she did of the man who had just asked her to become his wife.
Sitting all alone in the hall, crouching down on a footstool close to the fire, for somehow she felt tired--tired, and exhausted--she made one definite resolution.