“And what think they of me?” asked Kate, with natural girlish self consciousness.

Petronella repeated her arch glance.

“To me they say that thou art a wilful maid who needest watching and stern guarding.  They shake their heads at such loose marriage, and tell me to take warning and not fall into like folly and sin through overmuch love of my own way.  But I heard them talking together of thee when they forgot that I was by; and then there was something different in their words, and I could scarce forbear to smile.”

“What said they then?” asked Kate eagerly.

“My Lady Humbert, she said that Lord Andover was a good man and stanch, and that all spoke well of his son.  They added that if thou wouldst one day be Countess of Andover, they would gladly think that thou wouldst worthily fill that place.  Aunt Dowsabel asked if thou hadst made a good beginning in this hasty marriage or troth plight of thine; whereat Lady Humbert gave a laugh, and said she was glad that thou hadst had the spirit of thy ancestors in thee, and that for her part, if you were both true and stanch in your love, she saw small harm in letting love have the mastery over prudence.  And then it turned out, as I learned from their talk, that she herself had run away to be married when she was a girl, and that she had never for one hour repented the act.  So she plainly felt that thou wast her own kinswoman in all faith; and although she may speak to thee with stern rebuke, thou mayest know in thy heart that she thinks kindly of thee, and that she will stand thy friend with thy father, and make the peace with thy mother if she may.”

Kate’s face flushed happily.

“Nay, now, that is good hearing!  Why did we not know these good aunts before?  I can go before them with a light heart now.  I repent me of nothing save that I displeased my parents, and hid the matter from them all this while.  I trow I shall never repent that I let Culverhouse persuade me to plight my troth to him.”

Kate was glad of the assurance Petronella’s words had given her when she was presently summoned before her relatives, and stood in the dim panelled room before their straight-backed chairs, feeling the stern eyes of Lady Humbert fixed full upon her, whilst she heard that her father and brother had already left, since it was only pain and grief to them to be beneath the same roof as their obdurate and disobedient daughter and sister.

Kate received the lecture addressed her by the mistress of the house with all becoming humility, and without that sinking of heart that she might otherwise have felt at the cold stern tone; and she gladly passed her word, when desired to do so, not to go beyond the precincts of the great walled garden without special permission.  In her walks and rides abroad she was always to be attended, and was to promise never to slip away from her escort.  If she would faithfully promise this, she might be allowed the companionship of Ellen Wyvern, now a guest beneath the roof of Cross Way House; and to give this promise cost Kate no pang, for she had no feverish desire after unfettered liberty, but was content to await the time she knew must shortly come now, when Culverhouse would come to claim her for his own, and would find her no longer the portionless maiden she once had been, but dowered with some of the rich spoil from that long-lost hoard.