He had been glad enough to have his favourite daughter provided for, but the actual parting with her had been a serious trouble to him, the most serious he had known for years, and he had been very far from desiring to quarrel with the Fate that had restored her to him.
He was comfortably convinced that Piet would understand all this.
Moreover, the fellow was clearly very busy.

All his energies seemed to be fully occupied.

He would have but little time to spare for his wife, even if he had her at his side.

No, on the whole, the Colonel was of opinion that Nan's decision was a wise one, and it seemed to him that, upon reflection, his son-in-law could scarcely fail to agree with him.
Something of this he expressed in his letter when he eventually roused himself to reply to Piet's invitation, and therewith he dismissed all further thought upon the subject from his mind.

His darling had pleased herself all her life, and naturally she would continue to do so.
His letter went into silence, but there was nothing surprising in this fact.