John.  Come, come, what’s all this cackle about, Rose?

Rose.  I’m breaking off with Robert, that’s all, John.

John.  Robert, can’t you take and explain a bit what ’tis.

Robert. [Sullenly.] A little bit of play ’twixt me and the wench there, and that’s about all, I reckon.

John.  Now that’s an unsensible sort of thing to get doing on your marriage day, to my thinking.

Kitty.  ’Twasn’t Robert’s fault, I know.  ’Twas the maid off the road who started it.

[Here Isabel sinks down on a chair by the window, leaning her arms on the table and bowing her head, in tears.

John. [Going to the door.] Jeremy—­Jeremy—­come you in here a minute.

[Instead of Jeremy, Lubin comes in.

John.  ’Twas Jeremy I did call—­not you.

Lubin.  He’s gone off the place for a few minutes.

John. [Vexedly.] Ah, ’tis early for the Red Bull.

Lubin.  Can I—­can I do anything for you, master?

John.  Not unless you can account for the sort of serving wench off the roadside what Jerry has put upon us.

Lubin.  What is there to account for in her, master?

Rose. [Passionately.] O I don’t particular mind about what’s happened.  Let her kiss with Robert if she has the mind.  ’Tis always the man who commences.

John.  ’Tis not.  There are some wenches who don’t know how to leave anyone alone.  Worser than cattle flies, that sort.

Isabel. [Going across the room to LUBIN’S side.] O you shame me by them words, I bain’t that sort of maid—­you’ll answer for me—­ William?

[Lubin silently takes her hand.

Rose. [Her eyes fixed on Lubin.] I’ll tell you what, John; I’ll tell you, Kitty.  I wish I’d held me to my first lover and I wish ’twas with Lubin that I was a-going to the church to-day.

Robert. [Sullenly.] Then I’ll say sommat, Rose.  I wish ’twas with Isabel that I was getting wed.

John.  Now, now—­’Tis like two children a quarrelling over their playthings.  Suppose you was to go and get yourself dressed, Rose-Anna—­And you too, Robert.  Why, the traps will be at the door afore you’re ready if you don’t quicken yourselves up a bit.  Kitty, you go and help your sister.

Rose. [With a jealous glance at Isabel.] No, I’ll have Lucy with me.

John.  That’s it, you keep her out of mischief

Kitty.  I’ve got my own dress to put on.

John.  And Robert, you and me will have a drink after all this caddle.  ’Tis dry work getting ready for marriage so it appears.

Robert.  ’Tis fiery dry to my thinking.

Rose. [Crossing the room and going up to Lubin.] I have no flowers to take to church with me, William; go you to the waterside, I have a mind to carry some of the blue things what grow there.