The Fog Princes by Florence Warden

While Rees Pennant and his two confederates in evil were passing an existence of feverish excitement in London, life at Carstow rippled on with the monotony of a brook in a plain. The only break that ever occurred in the quiet uniformity of Deborah's daily duties was on the occasion of Godwin's visits, which had become more frequent of late. He was thinking seriously of "settling down," so he told Deborah soon after Christmas. He now spent every second Sunday at his mother's house, and, by Deborah's imperatively express command, had altogether given up making her his matter-of-fact offers of marriage, and spent much of his time at Carstow, away from the house.

"Settling down? " echoed Deborah, laughing, when he made this announcement. "That seems rather an odd expression to apply to yourself, Godwin. You've never been anything else than settled down. Now you might, with some sense, apply that term to Rees."