CHAPTER I--THE OVERTURE--ABOUT THAT DATE



These are the beginnings of some of the letters which they wrote
about that time.

Woking, May 20th.

My Dearest Maude,--You know that your mother suggested, and we
agreed, that we should be married about the beginning of September.
Don't you think that we might say the 3rd of August? It is a
Wednesday, and in every sense suitable. Do try to change the date,
for it would in many ways be preferable to the other. I shall be
eager to hear from you about it. And now, dearest Maude . . . (The
rest is irrelevant.)

St. Albans, May 22nd.

My Dearest Frank,--Mother sees no objection to the 3rd of August, and
I am ready to do anything which will please you and her. Of course
there are the guests to be considered, and the dressmakers and other
arrangements, but I have no doubt that we shall be able to change the
date all right. O Frank . . . (What follows is beside the point.)

Woking, May 25th.

My Dearest Maude,--I have been thinking over that change of date, and
I see one objection which had not occurred to me when I suggested it.