Knight。Asthecrueltiesandthenarrowbitternessoftheworldhadbredunfaithinher，sodidsupremelovebreedfaith，ifofanunusualsort，sinceshelearnedthatwithoutthefaithherlovemustdie，andthelovesheknewtobeimmortal。Thereforetheexistenceofthatlivinglovepresupposedalltherest，andconvincedher，whichinoneofherobstinatenaturenothingelsecouldpossiblyhavedone，no，notifshehadseenamiracle。Alsothisloveofherswassoprofoundandbeautifulthatshefeltitstrueoriginandultimatehomemustbeelsewherethanontheearth。
Thatwaswhysheconsentedtobemarriedinchurch，somewhattoGodfrey’ssurprise。
Induecourse，havingpracticallyrecoveredhishealth，GodfreyappearedbeforeaBoardinLondonwhichpassedhimasfitforservice，butgavehimamonth’sleave。WiththisdocumenthereturnedtoHawk’sHall，andthereshowedittoIsobel。
“Andwhenthemonthisup？“sheasked，lookingathim。
“ThenIsupposeIshallhavetojoinmyregiment，unlesstheysendmesomewhereelse。“
“Amonthisaveryshorttime，“shewenton，stilllookingathimandturningalittlepale。
“Yes，dear，butlotscanhappeninit，aswefoundoutinFrance。Forinstance，“headded，withalittlehesitation，“wecangetmarried，thatis，ifyouwish。“
“Youknowverywell，Godfrey，thatIhavewisheditforquitetenyears。“
“Andyouknowverywell，Isobel，thatIhavewishedit——well，eversinceIunderstoodwhatmarriagewas。Howaboutto-morrow？“heexclaimed，afterapause。
Shelaughed，andshookherhead。
“Ibelieve，Godfrey，thatsomesortoflicenseisnecessary，anditispastposttime。Alsoitwouldlookscarcelydecent；allthesepeoplewouldlaughatus。Also，asthereisagooddealofpropertyconcerned，Imustmakesomearrangements。“
“Whatarrangements？“heasked。
Shelaughedagain。“Thatismyaffair；youknowIamagreatsupporterofWoman’sRights。“
“Oh!Isee，“herepliedvaguely，“tokeepitallfreefromthehusband’scontrol，&c。“
“Yes，Godfrey，that’sit。Whatabusinessheadyouhave。Youshouldjointheshippingfirmafterthewar。“
Thentheysettledtobemarriedonthatdayweek，afterwhichIsobelsuggestedthatheshouldtakeuphisabodeattheAbbeyHouse，wheretheclergyman，abachelor，wouldbeverygladtohavehimasaguest。
WhenGodfreyinquiredwhy，sherepliedblandlybecausehisroomwaswantedforanotherpatient，hebeingnowcured，andthatthereforehehadnorighttostopthere。
“Oh!Isee。Howselfishofme，“saidGodfrey，andwentofftoarrangematterswiththeclergyman，afriendlyandaccommodatingyoungman，withtheresultthatonthisnightoncemorehesleptintheroomhehadoccupiedasaboy。ForherpartIsobeltelephoned，firsttoherdressmaker，andsecondlytothelawyerwhowaswindingupherfather’sestate，requestingtheseimportantpersonstocometoseeheronthemorrow。
Theycamequickly，sinceIsobelwastoovaluableaclienttobeneglected，arrivingbythesametrain，withtheresultthatthelawyerwaskeptwaitinganhourandahalfbythedressmaker，afactwhichherememberedinhisbill。Whenatlasthisturncame，Isobeldidnotdetainhimlong。
“Iamgoingtobemarried，“shesaid，“onthetwenty-fourthtoMajorGodfreyKnightoftheIndianCavalry。Willyoukindlypreparetwodocuments，thefirsttobesignedbeforemymarriage，andthesecond，awill，immediatelyafterit，sinceotherwiseitwouldbeinvalidatedbythatchangeinmycondition。“
Thelawyerstaredather，sincesomuchlegalknowledgewasnotcommonamonghisladyclients，andaskedforinstructionsastowhatthedocumentsweretosetout。
“Theywillbeverysimple，“saidIsobel。“Thefirst，amarriagesettlement，willsettlehalfmyincomefreeofmycontroluponmyfuturehusbandduringourjointlives。Thesecond，thatisthewill，willleavetohimallmyproperty，realandpersonal。“
“Imustpointouttoyou，MissBlake，“saidtheastonishedlawyer，“thattheseprovisionsareveryunusual。DoesMajorKnightbringlargesumsintosettlement？“
“Idon’tthinkso，“sheanswered。“Hismeansarequitemoderate，andiftheywerenot，itwouldneveroccurtohimtodoanythingofthesort，asheunderstandsnothingaboutmoney。AlsocircumstancedasI
am，itdoesnotmatterintheleast。“
“Yourlatefatherwouldhavetakenadifferentview，“sniffedthelawyer。
“Possibly，“repliedIsobel，“forourviewsvarieduponmostpoints。
WhilehewasaliveIgavewaytohis，tomygreatlossandsorrow。NowthatheisdeadIfollowmyown。“
“Well，thatisdefinite，MissBlake，andofcourseyourwishesmustbeobeyed。Butasregardsthiswill，donotthinkmeindelicateformentioningit，buttheremightbechildren。“
“Idon’tthinkyouatallindelicate。WhyshouldIatoverthirtyyearsofage？Ihaveconsideredthepoint。Ifweareblessedwithanychildren，andIshouldpredeceasehim，myfuturehusbandwillmakesucharrangementsfortheirwelfareasheconsiderswiseandjust。I
haveeveryconfidenceinhisjudgment，andifheshouldhappentodieintestate，whichIthinkveryprobable，theywouldinheritequally。
Thereisenoughforanynumberofthem。“
“Unlesshelosesorspendsit，“groanedthelawyer。
“Heismuchmorelikelytosaveitfromsomemistakensenseofduty，andtoliveentirelyonwhathehasofhisown，“remarkedIsobel。“Ifso，itcannotbehelped，andnodoubtthepoorwillbenefit。NowifyouthoroughlyunderstandwhatIwishdone，Ithinkthatisall。I
havetoseethedressmakeragain，sogood-bye。“
“Executors？“gaspedthelawyer。
“PublicTrustee，“saidIsobel，overhershoulder。
“TheysaythatsheisoneoftheseSuffragettewomen，althoughshekeepsitdark。Well，Icanbelieveit。Anyway，thisofficeristumblingintohoney，andthere’snofoollikeawomaninlove，“saidthelawyertohimselfashepackedhisbagofpapers。
Isobelwasquiteright。ThequestionofsettlementsneverevenoccurredtoGodfrey。Hewasaware，however，thatitisusualforabridegroomtomakethebrideapresent，andgoingtoLondon，walkedmiserablyupanddownBondStreetlookingintowindowsuntilhewastired。AtonemomenthefixedhisaffectionsuponanoldQueenAnneporringer，whichhisnaturaltastetoldhimtobequitebeautiful；buthavinglearnedfromthedealerthatitwasmeantforthemixingofinfant’spap，heretiredabashed。Almostnextdoorhesawinajeweller’swindowanecklaceofsmallpearlspricedatthreehundredpounds，andprobablyworthabouthalfthatamount。Havingquiteahandsomebalanceathisback，hecametotheconclusionthathecouldaffordthisand，goingin，boughtitatonce，obliviousofthefactthatIsobelalreadyhadropesofpearlsthesizeofmarrowfatpeas。
However，shewasdelightedwithit，especiallywhenshesawwhatithadcosthim，forhehadneverthoughttocutthesaleticketfromthenecklace。Itwasthosepearls，andnotthemarrowfatpeas，thatIsobelworeuponherweddingday。Saveforthelittleringwiththetwoturquoisehearts，thesewereheronlyornament。
Aquestionaroseastowherethehoneymoon，orsomuchaswouldremainofone，wastobespent。GodfreywouldhavelikedtogotoLucerneandvisitthePasteur，butasthiscouldnotbemanagedinwartime，suggestedLondon。
“WhyLondon？“exclaimedIsobel。
“Onlybecausemostladiesliketheatres，thoughIconfessIhatethemmyself。“
“Yousillyman，“sheanswered。“Doyousuppose，whenwecanhaveonlyafewdaystogether，thatIwanttowastetimeintheatres？“
IntheenditwassettledthattheywouldgotoLondonforanight，andthenontoCornwall，whichtheyhopedfondlymightbewarmatthattimeofyear。
Soatlast，onthetwenty-fourthdayofDecemberofthatfatefulyear1914，theyweremarriedintheAbbeyChurch。Isobel’suncle，theonewithwhomshehadstayedinMexico，andwhohadretirednowfromtheDiplomaticService，gaveheraway，andayoungcousinofherswasthesolebridesmaid，fortheceremonywasofthesortcalleda“warwedding。“Herdress，however，wassplendidofitskind，somerichthingofflowingbroideredsilkwithaveilofwondrouslace。
Eitherfromaccidentorbydesign，ingeneraleffectitmuchresembledthatofthePlantagenetladywhichonceshehadcopiedfromthebrass。
Perhaps，beingdissatisfiedwithherformereffort，shedeterminedtorecapitonamoresplendidscale，orperhapsitwasachance。Atanyrate，theveilraisedintwopointsfromherhead，felldownlikethatofthenamelesslady，whilefromherelbowslongnarrowsleeveshungalmosttotheground。BeautifulIsobelneverwas，butinthisgarb，withhappinessshininginhereyes，hertall，well-madeformlookedimposingandevenstately，aneffectthatwasheightenedbyherdeliberateanddignifiedmovements。Thegreatchurchwascrowded，forthenewsofthisweddinghadspreadfarandwide，anditsromanticcharacterattractedpeoplebothfromtheneighbouringvillagesandthelittletown。
SetinthesplendidsurroundingsoftheoldAbbey，throughthepaintedwindowsofwhichgleamedthewintersun，GodfreyinhisglitteringIndianuniformandorders，andhisbrideinherquaint，richdress，madeastrikingpairatthealtarrail。IndeeditisdoubtfulwhethersincehundredsofyearsagotheoldCrusaderandhisfairlady，whoseasheswerebeneaththeirfeet，stoodwheretheystoodforthissamepurposeofmarriage，cladincoatofmailandgleamingsilk，anobler-