‘What would she say now, d’you suppose?’

Elinor glanced up at him. She laughed. She said, ‘I think she’d say that she was mistaken!’

Edward looked out across the lawn again. He said, ‘What d’you reckon his chances are?’

Elinor turned to face him, so that she could put her arms around him and lay her cheek against his chest.

‘I reckon’, she said, her voice faintly muffled, ‘that his chances are pretty good. Marianne can’t do anything by halves, and certainly not loving.’

‘All or nothing.’

‘Yes.’

Edward put his own arms around her and laid his cheek on the top of her head. ‘All,’ he said contentedly. ‘All. I’ll settle for that.’