Ford offered Cash a look that implied Clementine not only had opinions, but that her opinions were his burden to bear and they were often a heavy load. "I 'spose she's always had opinions," he admitted with a diffident shrug. "But now she's graduated, which means I have to listen to them." He meant listen to only in the literal sense of being forced to hear Clementine talking at him more often than he had when she was in school; he did his best not to listen to Clementine on any issues whatsoever. Not least because if left to her own devices, Clementine would probably never marry. Not that Ford thought he was an expert in what made debutantes appealing to bachelors, or that he'd done such a spectacular job with either Verity or Grace, but he was certainly convinced that he could manage Clementine's prospects better than she could herself.

"Until I find someone to marry her," he added with a wry look. "You don't know any deaf bachelors, do you?"

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