"Well, it's the sort of thing that only catches on if individual people decide to do it. If I went up to most of this lot and told them they should...well, you can imagine how that would go over." His eyes twinkle as he holds the door for her.

"But it helps. London is rough. It's even rough on wealthier sorts--except for those who help make it so rough, of course. But that can be anyone."

He listens to her answer very thoughtfully. "You know, a whole lot of the young women here feel the same way." A brief pause, and he quickly adds "I-if experience is anything to go on. I...don't like the idea of arranging marriages like this. It...well...people aren't commodities, basically."