‘Oliver!’ said Fan with flashing eyes, ‘you are seeking to pique me by an objection which you must know does not exist in connection with Harry. He has no people with claims on him. He has no friends who would consider his welfare before any good to themselves, save me and his brother—who has not gone against him, and surely the more reason we should not forsake him. Did not Harry break off from his uncles and aunts when he became a farmer? They allowed him to follow his own course, and they must accept the consequences. “If they cut it up rough,” as he says, “they have themselves to blame for it,” when they consented to what was likely to happen, if he and Horry became yeomen. Poor Horry, he would be as jealous as a woman of any other woman’s coming between him and Harry!’ said Fan, with a little laugh and blush; ‘but I will help him to get over it for Harry’s sake: he is waiving his objections already. The worst of it is, I am not just such a girl as Agneta, with whom the poor dear fellow was always sparring, so that Harry had to come in with his sweet temper, and reconcile the two. But do you imagine that I find fault with Horace Stanhope because he would not count any woman beneath the rank of a duke’s daughter, who was not beautiful as the day, and an angel of virtue, deserving of Harry? There would have been the old search over again, if the devoted soul had been consulted: ‘Where is the maiden of mortal strain May match with the Baron of Triermain? ‘It is little you know of things, Oliver, though you are a philosopher, if you think that would have made me angry with Horry, who will soon forgive me, because of the sympathy between us. Besides Horry, there is only Agneta who is really interested,’ said Fan, after an instant’s pause, ‘and she is my friend.’ ‘It remains to be seen how far the friendship will stand this test!’ said Oliver with gloomy scepticism. He was so exasperated as to add a taunt, for which he was sorry the moment after he had uttered it. ‘Why don’t you admit frankly that you are besotted enough to believe the whole race of Vere de Vere will open their arms to receive you into their castles? That must be the real inducement to form such an insane connection—not the cheap merits of a lad like Harry Stanhope.’ ‘If you think so badly of me, Oliver, even though I may have given you some cause by being foolish and worldly-minded, I cannot help it!’ said Fan, deeply wounded and offended.