She was going to say, "Papa, you must be joking," but she looked at his face and could not.

He was too much in earnest--she perceived that with him the thing was settled--and therefore done.

She took courage from the despair of the moment; "Papa," she said deliberately, "I will _never_ marry my cousin George." For one moment, his face seemed to change.

Then he got up, as calm and assured as before.
"You are surprised, I see," he answered.

"I supposed you must have guessed my intentions.