He turned and walked away, and Myles, in some annoyance, went into the house. Usually Mrs. Heywood had the field to herself in the exercise of her tongue. Edmund occasionally indulged in a burst of temper, but always to his own disadvantage. Mary never answered at all. Myles alone, as has been before said, could, with a certain look and tone, show himself master of the fretful, repining embodiment of scolding and selfishness whom they had the misfortune to call mother. To-day he was in no mood to ‘stand nonsense,’ and as he went into the kitchen he said, hanging up his cap, and taking Edmund’s hand, as he seated himself beside him, ‘What does yon James Hoyle want always hanging about here? The chap is never out of the place, and I can’t abide him. If he doesn’t give us a little more of his room and less of his company I must speak to him. Mary, lass, I hope thou’rt not got agate of meeting-going.’ He spoke with perfect good-nature and good temper, not suspecting anything but that all the rest of the company were equally averse with himself to Mr. Hoyle’s visits, and he smiled a little as he looked at Mary. ‘Me!’ said his sister, laughing. ‘Nay, I’m not come to that. As long as I live I’st go to th’ parish church every Sunday, and sit in th’ old place----’ ‘Alongside o’ Harry Ashworth,’ put in Edmund, gravely, at which Mary’s cheeks flushed, and she went on somewhat more rapidly. ‘For I make nowt at o’ out o’ the meetin’-house.’ ‘Perhaps you’ll end by leaving th’ owd place for an older, and going clean over to Rome,’ said Mrs. Heywood, who had been bending over the fire, looking at a pan of potatoes, and who now raised rather a flushed face from that occupation; ‘choose how, there’st nowt be said here against James Hoyle, the godly man! and it’s more than likely that you’ll see more of him than you have done yet.’ ‘How do you mean?’ asked her eldest son, turning towards her; ‘you mean that Jimmy Hoyle would come here a second time after I’d forbidden him the house?’ He laughed, as if he thought it rather a good joke. ‘You’d turn him out of the house? That’s like you!’ said Mrs. Heywood, emptying the potatoes into a tureen. ‘I really don’t know what you’re talking about,’ said Myles, in some surprise at her whole demeanour. ‘Well, you’ll get to know, then,’ she retorted, without meeting his eye. ‘A good man is like the salt of the earth. He can make even a sinful house holy, and bring a blessing on it. James Hoyle and me is going to be married. We’st be wed this day three week, and then I’d like to know how you’ll forbid him the house.’ There was a momentary silence, during which Myles, who had risen, stared at his mother in an incredulous manner. Mary, after a moment, turned pale, and sat down upon a chair in the background. Edmund’s lips were curled into a sneer. ‘Mother!’ said Myles, confronting her, and somewhat forcing her eyes to meet his. ‘Is this a joke that you’re playing upon us? Because, if so, it’s a very poor one.’