"Lord Talgarth's--well--if he was my father I should say he was in a passion. I heard his voice." She smiled a little. Dick leaned against the table, looking at her. "Poor Frank!" he said. She smiled again, more freely. "Yes ... poor, dear Frank! He's always in hot water, isn't he?" "I'm afraid it's serious this time," observed Dick. "What did he want to become a Catholic for?" "Oh, Frank's always unexpected!" "Yes, I know; but this happens to be just the one very thing--" She looked at him humorously. "Do you know, I'd no notion that Lord Talgarth was so deeply religious until Frank became a Catholic." "Yes, I know," said Dick. "But it is just his one obsession. Frank must have known that." "And I've not the slightest doubt," said Jenny, "that that was an additional reason for his doing it." "Well, what'll happen?" She jerked her head a little. "Oh! it'll pass off. You'll see. Frank'll find out, and then we shall all be happy ever afterwards." "But meantime?" "Oh! Frank'll go and stay with friends a month or two. I daresay he'll come to the Kirkbys', and I can go and see him." "Suppose he does something violent? He's quite capable of it." "Oh! I shall talk to him. It'll be all right. I'm very sensible indeed, you know. All my friends tell me that." Dick was silent. "Don't you think so?" "Think what?" "That I'm very sensible." Dick made a little movement with his head. "Oh! I suppose so. Yes, I daresay.... And suppose my uncle cuts him off with a shilling? He's quite capable of it. He's a very heavy father, you know." "He won't. I shall talk to him too." "Yes; but suppose he does?" She threw him a swift glance. "Frank'll put the shilling on his watch-chain, after it's been shown with all the other wedding-presents. What are you going to give me, Mr. Dick?" "I shall design a piece of emblematic jewelry," said Dick very gravely. "When's the wedding to be?" "Well, we hadn't settled. Lord Talgarth wouldn't make up his mind. I suppose next summer some time." "Miss Jenny--" "Yes?" "Tell me--quite seriously--what you'd do if there was a real row--a permanent one, I mean--between Frank and my uncle?" "Dear Mr. Dick--don't talk so absurdly. I tell you there's not going to be a row. I'm going to see to that myself." "But suppose there was?" Jenny stood up abruptly. "I tell you I'm a very sensible person, and I'm not going to imagine absurdities. What do you want me to say? Do you want me to strike an attitude and talk about love in a cottage?" "Well, that would be one answer." "Very well, then. That'll do, won't it? You can take it as said.... I'm going to see what's happening." But as she went to the door there came footsteps and voices outside; and the next moment the door opened suddenly, and Lord Talgarth, followed by his son and the Rector, burst into the room. (II)