Chapter Thirteen
Gustav had known the Lady Gwendolen since she was a young girl. He had watched her grow into what was to his mind the perfection of womanhood. She had always been carefully protected by her parents, god-fearing and respectable people, but when she became of age Gustav lost not a moment in making his proposal of marriage. He himself was quite a catch, a nobleman of good standing, with extensive lands and a reputation as a kind and honest man. And so her parents were delighted to give her away in marriage. It is true that she was not much consulted in the matter, since girls like her never were. But in this case that did not matter too much, because she had always looked up to Gustav, and moreover she thought him handsome.
When the time came in the marriage ceremony to say
