‘Was it anything special?’

‘I hope so,’ he said, ironically.

‘ — To propose to you, according to all accounts,’ said her father.

‘Oh,’ said Ursula.

‘Oh,’ mocked her father, imitating her. ‘Have you nothing more to say?’

She winced as if violated.

‘Did you really come to propose to me?’ she asked of Birkin, as if it were a joke.

‘Yes,’ he said. ‘I suppose I came to propose.’ He seemed to fight shy of the last word.

‘Did you?’ she cried, with her vague