I walked home, wondering at her mixture of nervousness and confidence, at the fact that she already felt certain she had a permanent place in that house.
At our next lunch date, it was Ananda ho asked the eager question. “Well? What did you think of her?”
And I replied noncommittally, “She seems very pleasant.”
“You should like my mother. She says, ‘A good-natured girl, You should count yourself fortunate.’ I suppose she asked you to be her friend?”
“How did you know?”
She’s not as stupid she looks. She said the same to me. Will you not allow us to be friendly, Anand?'" He attempted a saccharin unconvincing falsetto. He frowned. "The thin end of the wedge, don't you see? It would be funny if it weren’t so sad."
"Well, at least she's very good-looking, "I said defensively.
"She's too far."
"I think it rather suits her."
"A strong point in her favor, my mother says, to make up for my puniness." Anand was sensitive about his height. He said, in a touchy voice, Darling one to sympathize with him, "Eugenically very sound. Strong, healthy girl like Janaki married to a weakling like me, and we have chance of strong ,healthy children that take after her. The children, you see, are the whole point of this stratagem. I'm an only son must produce some. My mother has rather sample approach to this things."
"You must admit, "I said rather uncomfortably, 'That she'd make a very good mother."