“Aye, that I do.  I went to the castle to keep tryste wi’ his lairdship, the Marquis of Arondelle.  He wha was troth-plighted to the heiress o’ Lone.  Ae wha is noo ca’d his grace the Duk’ o’ Harewood!” said the witness, emphatically, triumphantly.

The statement fell like a thunderbolt on the whole assembly.

When Rose Cameron first said that she went to the castle to keep tryste with the Marquis of Arondelle, those who heard her distrusted the evidence of their own ears, and turned to each other, inquiring in whispers: 

“What did she say?”

Or answering in like whispers: 

“I don’t know.”

But now that she had reiterated her statement with emphasis and with triumph, they asked no more questions, but gazed in each other’s faces in awe-struck silence.

And as for the Duke of Hereward!  What on earth could a gentleman have to say to a charge as absurd as it was infamous, thus made upon him by a disreputable person in open court?

Why, to notice it even by denial would seem to be an infringement of his dignity and self-respect.

The Duke of Hereward, after his first involuntary start and stare of amazement, controlled himself absolutely, and sat back in his chair, perfectly silent and self-possessed under this ordeal.

Not so the senior counsel for the defence.

Rising in his place, he addressed the bench: 

“My lord, we object to the question put to the witness, which, while it tends to compromise a lofty personage of this realm, can, in no manner, concern the case in hand.  My lord, we are not trying his grace the Duke of Hereward.”

“The bench has already instructed the counsel for the Crown to keep to the point at issue while examining the witness,” said the presiding judge.

“Ou, ay!  Ye are nae trying the Duk’ o’ Harewood, are ye nae?  Aweel, then, I’m thinking ye’ll be trying him before a’s ower!” put in Rose Cameron, spitefully.

“Witness, tell the jury what occurred, within your own knowledge, while you were in the grounds of Castle Lone,” said Mr. Keir.

“And how will I tell onything right gin I am forbid to name the name o’ him wha wur maistly concernit?” demanded Rose Cameron.

“You are to give your own testimony in your own way, unless otherwise instructed by the bench,” said Mr. Keir.

“Aweel, then, first of a’, I went to the castle by appointment to meet Laird Arondelle, as he was then ca’d.  I walked about and waited fu’ an hour before his lairdship cam’ till me.”

“At what hour was that?”

“I heard the castle clock aboon Auld Malcom’s Tower strike eleven when I cam’ under the balcony o’ the bride’s chamber, whilk is nigh it.  I waited fu’ half an hour there before his lairdship cam’ stealing through the shrubbery—­De’il hae him, wha ha brocht a’ this trouble on me!” exclaimed the witness, vehemently, as her eyes, fairly blazing with blue fire, fixed themselves on the face of the young duke.