STUDDENHAM. Good evenin', my lady! Evenin', Sir William! STUDDENHAM. Glad to be able to tell you, the young man's to do the proper thing. Asked me to let you know, Sir William. Banns'll be up next Sunday. [Struck by the silence, he looks round at all three in turn, and suddenly seeing that LADY CHESHIRE is shivering] Beg pardon, my lady, you're shakin' like a leaf! BILL. [Blurting it out] I've a painful piece of news for you, Studdenham; I'm engaged to your daughter. We're to be married at once. STUDDENHAM. I--don't--understand you--sir. BILL. The fact is, I've behaved badly; but I mean to put it straight. STUDDENHAM. I'm a little deaf. Did you say--my daughter? SIR WILLIAM. There's no use mincing matters, Studdenham. It's a thunderbolt--young Dunning's case over again. STUDDENHAM. I don't rightly follow. She's--You've--! I must see my daughter. Have the goodness to send for her, m'lady. LADY CHESHIRE goes to the billiard-room, and calls: "FREDA, come here, please." STUDDENHAM. [TO SIR WILLIAM] YOU tell me that my daughter's in the position of that girl owing to your son? Men ha' been shot for less. BILL. If you like to have a pot at me, Studdenham you're welcome. STUDDENHAM. [Averting his eyes from BILL at the sheer idiocy of this sequel to his words] I've been in your service five and twenty years, Sir William; but this is man to man--this is! SIR WILLIAM. I don't deny that, Studdenham. STUDDENHAM. [With eyes shifting in sheer anger] No--'twouldn't be very easy. Did I understand him to say that he offers her marriage? SIR WILLIAM. You did. STUDDENHAM. [Into his beard] Well--that's something! [Moving his hands as if wringing the neck of a bird] I'm tryin' to see the rights o' this. SIR WILLIAM. [Bitterly] You've all your work cut out for you, Studdenham. Again STUDDENHAM makes the unconscious wringing movement with his hands. LADY CHESHIRE. [Turning from it with a sort of horror] Don't, Studdenham! Please! STUDDENHAM. What's that, m'lady? LADY CHESHIRE. [Under her breath] Your--your--hands. While STUDDENHAM is still staring at her, FREDA is seen standing in the doorway, like a black ghost. STUDDENHAM. Come here! You! [FREDA moves a few steps towards her father] When did you start this? FREDA. [Almost inaudibly] In the summer, father. LADY CHESHIRE. Don't be harsh to her! STUDDENHAM. Harsh! [His eyes again move from side to side as if pain and anger had bewildered them. Then looking sideways at FREDA, but in a gentler voice] And when did you tell him about--what's come to you? FREDA. Last night. STUDDENHAM. Oh! [With sudden menace] You young--! [He makes a convulsive movement of one hand; then, in the silence, seems to lose grip of his thoughts, and pits his hand up to his head] I want to clear me mind a bit--I don't see it plain at all. [Without looking at BILL] 'Tis said there's been an offer of marriage?