When hearing that Walden was in his home, he'd been apprehensive. When he started speaking about Katherine he got worried, but by the time Walden had finished he was just dumbstruck. For the first time in his life he found he had no clue how to respond. A part of him wanted to laugh, tell this man that he was no where near good enough for his daughter. Another knew what a foolish act that would be, so instead he smiled.
"I'm proud," he said, lied, as he gathered his excused. "That you would hold my daughter in such esteem after only having met her - once?" he suggested, hoping this was right. Where could they have met anyway?
"As for her hand in marriage, I don't think it would be fair for me to make such a decision on her behalf. I understand that in your time, in my time even, things were vastly different. Women of today however, want their careers in order before marriage, they also want a say in who they marry. Katherine has just started her career, she left school a little over a month ago." He paused.
"Don't get me wrong, this would be a great honour to any young woman, but I think Katherine wants to wait for a few years. It's the custom, you see. With a career of their own women are more able to help their husband's in their endeavours." And in a few years hopefully this madness would be over.