"Those men were pagans, John, and lived in foreign countries. Christian men in England--" "Christian men in England, in proportion to their power, do things just as reckless and wicked. Piers Exham has never learned any control; he has always given himself, or had given him, whatever he wanted. And I can tell thee, there is a perfect witchery about Miss Vyner in some hours. She has met Exham in a favourable time, and begged the ring from him." "I cannot believe it. Why should she do such a thing? She must have had a reason." "Certainly she had a reason. It might be pure mischief, for she is mischievous as a cat. It might be superstition; she is as superstitious as an Hindoo fakir. She has charms and signs for everything. She orders her very life by the stars of heaven. I have watched her, and listened to her, and never trusted her about Kitty--not a moment. Now this is a secret between thee and me. I asked her to-day about the ring, and she would say neither this nor that; yet somehow she gave me to understand it was a love token." "She is a liar, if she means that Piers gave it to her as a love token. I saw the young man half an hour ago. If ever a man loved a maid, he loves our Kitty." "Yet he is going to marry Miss Vyner." "He is not. I am sure he is not. He will marry Kate Atheling." "The Duke told me this afternoon that Lord Exham would marry Miss Vyner as soon as this Reform question is settled. He said the marriage would take place at the Castle." "The Duke has been talking false to you for some purpose of his own." "Not he. Richmoor has faults--more than enough of them; but he treads his shoes straight. A truthful man, no one can say different." "I wouldn't notice a thing he said for all that. Pass it by. Leave Kitty to manage her own affairs." "No, I will not! Thou must tell Kitty to give the man up. He is going to marry another woman." "I don't believe a word of it." "His father said so. What would you have?" "Fathers don't know everything." "Now, Maude Atheling, my girl shall not marry where she is not wanted. I would rather see her in her death shroud than in her wedding gown, if things were in that way." "John, I have always been open as the day with you, and I will not change now. The Duchess said something like it to Kitty this morning, so you see there has been a plan between the Duke and Duchess to make trouble about Piers. Kitty came home very troubled." "And you let her go out with the man! I am astonished at you!" "She asked me what she ought to do, and I told the dear girl to be happy until _you_ told her to be miserable. If you think it is right to do so, tell her when she comes home never to see Piers again." "You had better tell her. I cannot." "I cannot, and I will not, for the life of me." "Don't you believe what I say?" "Yes--with a grain of salt. Piers is to hear from yet." "Well, you must speak to her, Mother. My heart is too soft. It is _your_ place to do it."