Marriage or Not

The Brangwen family was going to move from Beldover. It was necessary now for the father to be in town.

Birkin had taken out a marriage licence, yet Ursula deferred from day to day. She would not fix any definite time — she still wavered. Her month’s notice to leave the Grammar School was in its third week. Christmas was not far off.

Gerald waited for the Ursula-Birkin marriage. It was something crucial to him.

‘Shall we make it a double-barrelled affair?’ he said to Birkin one day.

‘Who for the second shot?’ asked Birkin.

‘Gudrun and me,’ said Gerald, the venturesome twinkle in his eyes.