Olive Higgins Prouty

“ Nathan had never ridden in a limousine before his wedding-day, and Reba only when Mr. Joseph Horween, the general-manager of the mills at home, had picked her up, on one or two occasions as he had been passing her in his car. The sailor glanced shyly at Reba, and was struck with the harmony between her and the luxurious background. The limousine was lined with dark, purplish-colored broadcloth, and it set off Madame Boulangeat's costume like a velvet-lined box a jewel. It matched the very heliotropes in the tiny bunches of flowers that Reba wore. ”

“ Reba turned steady eyes toward him. She never felt calmer in her life. The miraculous assurance of the early morning had not deserted her one whit. When she spoke her voice had a glad, defiant tone.
"I'm not the least bit sorry in the world!" she exclaimed.
For months and months Nathan fed his hungry heart on the memory of that reply. And Reba during many of those same months, perplexed and bewildered, strove desperately to call back the wonderful moment in the limousine when, as one inspired, she was consumed with the conviction of the ultimate rightness of her marriage. ”

“ Reba gave a little embarrassed laugh. "How queerly you put things, sometimes," she said. "I don't believe anybody puts things so queerly as you." Then abruptly changing the subject, first drawing in her breath deep as if about to dive off a springboard, "The minister didn't ask me what symbol I had for you," she said, and glanced down at her hands in her lap. She had not put on her gloves, and she began turning about the broad gold band on the third finger of her left hand.
Nathan, finally comprehending, replied, "No, he didn't. That's so. ”