"Yes, I know; even servant girls get a Bible when they are engaged. Our Maggie and Kitty did; they showed them to me. Do the men swear their love and promises on them?" "I should not wonder. If so, a great many are soon forsworn!" "Is that all you know, Isabel?" "Four times this week she has written to Robert. I saw the letters in the mail." "Love letters, I suppose?" "No doubt of it." "How immodest! Do you know where she lives?" "At a town called Kendal." "I never heard of the place. Is it near Motherwell? Robert often goes to Motherwell." "It is in England." "Oh, Isabel, you frighten me! An Englishwoman! Whatever will mother say? How could Robert think of such a dreadful thing! What shall we do?" "I see no occasion for us either to say or to do. There will be some grand set-tos between mother and Robert. We may get some amusement out of them." "Mother will insist on Robert giving up the Englishwoman. She will make him do it." "I do not think she will be able. Mind what I say." "Robert has been under mother all his life." "That is so, but he will make a stand about this Theodora, and mother will have to give in. He is now master of the works, and you will see that he will be master of the house also. He will take possession of himself, and everything else. I fancy we shall all find more changes than we can imagine." "I don't care if we do! Anything for a change. I am almost weary of my life. Nothing ever happens in it." "Plenty will happen soon. Robert has a way of his own, and that will be seen and heard tell of." "He will not dare to counter mother very much. She will talk strict and positive, and hold her head as high as a hen drinking water. You know how she talks and acts." "I know also how Robert will take her talking. I have seen Robert's way twice lately." "What is his way?" "A dour, cold silence, worse than any words--a silence that minds you of a black frost." Having finished her story Isabel looked at her watch, and said: "I'll be going now, Christina, and you can think over what is coming. We be to consider ourselves in any change. I am almost sure Robert will be home to-day at one o'clock, for if I am not mistaken, it will be the Caledonian Railway Station at three o'clock. That train will land him in Kendal about eight o'clock, just in time to drink a cup of tea with Theodora, and have a stroll after it. There is a full moon to-night." "How did you find out about Kendal?" "Bradshaw; I suppose he knows." "Of course, but it will be late Saturday night when Robert arrives, and surely he will not think of making love so near the Sabbath Day. I would not believe that of him, however much he likes Theodora." "A handsome young Master of Iron Works can make love any day he pleases; even Scotchwomen would listen gladly to what he had to say. I think I would myself." "I would, but it might be wrong, Isabel." "I don't believe it would; anyway I would risk it."