On the following morning he came, and was soon closeted with her. When he arrived, Isabel was sitting with Mrs Brodrick and her sisters, but they soon packed up their hemmings and sewings, and took themselves off, showing that it was an understood thing that Isabel and Mr Owen were to be left together. The door was no sooner closed than he came up to her, as though to embrace her, as though to put an arm round her waist before she had a moment to retreat, preparing to kiss her as though she were already his own. She saw it all in a moment. It was as though, since her last remembered interview, there had been some other meeting which she had forgotten,--some meeting at which she had consented to be his wife. She could not be angry with him. How can a girl be angry with a man whose love is so good, so true? He would not have dreamed of kissing her had she stood there before him the declared heiress of Llanfeare. She felt more than this. She was sure by his manner that he knew that she had determined not to take her cousin's money. She was altogether unaware that there had already been some talking that morning between him and her father; but she was sure that he knew. How could she be angry with him? But she escaped. "No, not that," she said. "It must not be so, Mr Owen;--it must not. It cannot be so." "Tell me one thing, Isabel, before we go any further, and tell me truly. Do you love me?" She was standing about six feet from him, and she looked hard into his face, determined not to blush before his eyes for a moment. But she could hardly make up her mind as to what would be the fitting answer to his demand. "I know," said he, "that you are too proud to tell me a falsehood." "I will not tell you a falsehood." "Do you love me?" There was still a pause. "Do you love me as a woman should love the man she means to marry?" "I do love you!" "Then, in God's name, why should we not kiss? You are my love and I am yours. Your father and mother are satisfied that it should be so. Seeing that we are so, is it a disgrace to kiss? Having won your heart, may I not have the delight of thinking that you would wish me to be near you?" "You must know it all," she said, "though it may be unwomanly to tell so much." "Know what?" "There has never been a man whose touch has been pleasant to me;--but I could revel in yours. Kiss you? I could kiss your feet at this moment, and embrace your knees. Everything belonging to you is dear to me. The things you have touched have been made sacred to me. The Prayer-Book tells the young wife that she should love her husband till death shall part them. I think my love will go further than that." "Isabel! Isabel!" "Keep away from me! I will not even give you my hand to shake till you have promised to be of one mind with me. I will not become your wife." "You shall become my wife!" "Never! Never! I have thought it out, and I know that I am right. Things have been hard with me."