“Perhaps you want her yourself, Jack?” suggested Nicholas, pulling his grey beard and shutting one eye.

“Me!” laughed Cobley, much amused.  “Do a toad want a bird of Paradise?  No, no.  She’s a lovely piece, and she’s got a kindly nature; but she’s the humble, gentle sort, and what your son wants, if he’s going to be a successful husband and not a failure, is a woman who’ll be his equal in strength of character and hold her own.  He’s wilful, to say it kindly, and he’s fond of the girls, and no doubt, with such a handsome face as his, he finds they be easy prey.  You know him better than I do and you very well know if he’s to be worthy of you and Little Silver he must have a strong partner to guide him right.”

Nicholas laughed.

“You’ve given a lot of thought to it, I see,” he said.

“Nothing to do else for the minute,” answered Jack.  “And I’m not saying a word against your Richard.  He’s pleased with himself and he sits a horse so amazing fine that it’s a treat to look at him, because I understand such things; but being of a mind that Milly Boon ain’t the perfect partner for him, I’m here—­in friendship.  Mind you, I wouldn’t have thrust in if I hadn’t happened to find out the girl’s got no use for him.  If she wanted him, ’twould be different and I should have kept my mouth shut, of course; but she do not, and if she takes him it will be for one reason only—­to save her aunt.  And that ain’t going to lay the foundation of a happy marriage—­is it?  So I’ve ordained to chip in.  And even so, I wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t a firm proposition to make.”

“What proposition can you make, Jack?” asked Mr. Bewes, loading his pipe again.  “My son be sure as death he’s found the right one at last, and he may be so right in his opinion as you.  And, be it as it will, how are you going to come between me and Dicky?”

“If your own conscience don’t, I cannot,” allowed the other.  “But, it’s like this.  Supposing, first, you grant as an honest man it would be an ugly thing to sacrifice a harmless woman to your boy’s passion.  Then you say, if I ain’t going to gain no political advantage out of leaving Mrs. Pedlar rent-free in a valuable house, where do I come in?

“Well, you rich men are pushed as often for money as the poor ones.  I know that, and a man may have fifty thousand behind him and yet be bothered for a couple of hundred.  And so I say this.  Let any match between Dick and Milly go forward clean and not dirty.  If they be meant for each other, let him win her fair, as a decent man wants to win a woman, or not at all.  That won’t do him no hurt.  And, meantime, since it may be a thorn in your side having Mrs. Pedlar there, I’ll buy the house.  There’s nothing on your conscience that can forbid you to sell, and you can leave the old woman’s fate to me.”

Mr. Bewes didn’t answer very quick.  He looked at Jack and his mind moved fast, though his tongue did not.