'Good gracious, no! I've no political views.' 'But oughtn't you to have them ?' 'You shall provide me with them, dear.' 'Gladly; and will you use them ?' 'Not in Parliament,' laughed Gerald.
'But seriously, dear, I hope you will think of it.' He turned gay, protesting, and now astonished eyes upon her.

'But I can't think of it seriously.

Old Battersby is a member for these parts, and his seat is as firm as a rock.' 'Can't you find another seat ?' 'But, my dear, even if I had any leaning that way, which I haven't, where am I to find the time and money ?' 'Give less time and money to hunting,' she could not repress.
But, over the sinking of her heart, she kept her voice light, and Gerald, all unsuspecting, answered, as if it were a harmless jest they were bandying, 'What a horrid score! But, yes, it's quite true; I want my time for hunting and farming and studying a bit, and then you mustn't forget that I enjoy dabbling at my painting in my spare moments and have the company of my wise and charming Althea to cultivate.

I've quite enough to fill my time with.' She was baffled, perplexed, and hurt.

Her thoughts fixed with some irony on his painting.