“I WILL NOT MARRY HIM!” Eloise emphasized that point to her father with a plate of sausages hurled at his face. Eloise had good aim, but he ducked.

“Young lady, you will cease your tantrums and do as I say!” Her father was in a right foul mood over her intractability on the issue.

“Like hell I will!” This time it was the butter knife.

“Eloise, language.” Her mother admonished. “You are twenty five. It is past time you are married!”

“You never imagined I might be able to marry me until Great Aunt Enid left me her fortune. Why then should I marry? I see no advantage in it?”

“No advantage?” Her mother gasped. “Why, young lady, you would have a fortune. Forty thousand pounds! And a husband and a household of your own. Would not that be wonderful?”

“My husband shall have forty thousand pounds you mean. Likely a good deal of it shall have to be spent to keep him or his family from ruin. I assume that is the impetus for the match.”

“Yes, dear, there are a few debts your money will help defray, but forty thousand will not easily be diminished. Your husband may have final say in the dispensation of funds, but in a marriage everything is shared and I am sure you will have free access to whatever you might need. I don’t imagine your needs will be great.” Her mother treated her to a dubious look. “Besides, you shall have a husband.” She chirped as if that were just the most glorious notion ever. “I have no need of a husband.” Eloise retorted, which was true. How was a woman like herself to get along with a husband?