Sir Marmaduke exclaimed, ‘Oh!—­’ with a prolongation of the sound that lasted till Mericour began again.

’But, sir, let tongues wag as they will, it is for nought.  Your fair daughter was but as ever preparing beforehand with me the tasks with which she so kindly indoctrinates her little sisters.  I never thought of myself as aught but a religious, and should never dream of human love.’

‘I thought so!  I said so!’ said Sir Marmaduke, highly gratified.  ’I knew you were an honourable man that would never speak of love to my daughter by stealth, nor without means to maintain her after her birth.’

The word ‘birth’ brought the blood into the face of the son of the peer of France, but he merely bowed with considerable stiffness and pride, saying, ‘You did me justice, sir.’

‘Come, don’t be hurt, man,’ said Sir Marmaduke, putting his hand on his shoulder.  ’I told you I knew you for an honourable man!  You’ll be over here to-morrow to hear the little maids their Jam satis, or whatever you call it, and dine with us after to taste Lucy’s handiwork in jam cranberry, a better thing as I take it.’

Mericour had recovered himself, smiled, shook the good Sir Marmaduke proffered hand, and, begging to excuse himself from bidding good night to the ladies on the score of lateness, he walked away to cross the downs on his return to Combe Walwyn, where he was still resident, according to the arrangement by which he was there to await Berenger’s return, now deferred so much beyond all reasonable expectation.

Sir Marmaduke, with a free heart, betook himself to the house, dreading to find that Lucy had fallen under the objurgations of her step-mother, but feeling impelled to stand her protector, and guided to the spot by the high key of Dame Annora’s voice.

He found Lucy—­who, on the race occasions when good-natured Lady Thistlewood was really angry with her, usually cowered meekly—­now standing her ground, and while the dame was pausing for breath, he heard her gentle voice answering steadily, ’No, madam, to him I could never owe faith, nor troth, nor love, save such as I have for Philip.’

’Then it is very unfeeling and ungrateful of you.  Nor did you think so once, but it is all his scars and—–­’

By this time Sir Marmaduke had come near enough to put his arm round his daughter, and say, ’No such thing, dame.  It had been unseemly in the lass had it been otherwise.  She is a good girl and a discreet; and the Frenchman, if he has made none of their vows, feels as bound as though he had.  He’s an honest fellow, thinking of his studies and not of ladies or any such trumpery.  So give me a kiss, Lucy girl, and thou shalt study Jam satis, or any other jam he pleases, without more to vex thee.’

Lucy, now that the warfare was over, had begun to weep so profusely that so soon as her father released her, she turned, made a mute gesture to ask permission to depart, and hurried away; while Lady Thistlewood, who disliked above all that her husband should think her harsh to her step-children, began to relate the exceeding tenderness of the remonstrance which had been followed with such disproportionate floods of tears.