She passed behind my chair, and, hearing her hand upon the latch, I had thought her gone--gone down to welcome my enemy and his riding mate, the factor. But while I was cursing my unready tongue and repenting that I had not given her some small word of warning, she spoke again. "You say 'Richard Jennifer or another.' What know you of any other, Monsieur John?" "Nay, I know nothing save what you have told me; and from that I have been hoping there was no other." "But if I say there may be?" My heart went sick at that. True, I had thought to give her generously to Dick, whose right was paramount; but to another-- "Margery, come hither where I may see you." And when she stood before me like a bidden child: "Tell me, little comrade, who is that other?" But now her mood was changed again, and from standing sweet and pensive she fell a-laughing. "What impudence!" she cried. "_Ma foi_! You should borrow Pere Matthieu's cassock and breviary; then, mayhap, I might confess to you. But not before." But still I pressed her. "Tell me, Margery." She tossed her head and would not look at me. "Dick Jennifer is but a boy; suppose this other were a man full-grown." "Yes?" "And a soldier." The sickness in my heart became a fire. "O Margery! Don't tell me it is this fiend who came just now!" All in a flash the jesting mood was gone, but that which took its place was strange to me. Tears came; her bosom heaved. And then she would have passed me but I caught her hands and held them fast. "Margery, one moment: for your own sweet sake, if not for Dick's or mine, have naught to do with this devil's emissary of a man. If you only knew--if I dared tell you--" But for once, it seemed, I had stretched my privilege beyond the limit. She whipped her hands from my hold and faced me coldly. "Sir Francis says you are a brave gentleman, Captain Ireton, and though he knows well what you would be about, he has not sent a file of men to put you in arrest. And in return you call him names behind his back. I shall not stay to listen, sir." With that she passed again behind my chair, and once again I heard her hand upon the latch. But I would say my say. "Forgive me, Margery, I pray you; 'twas only what you said that made me mad. 'Tis less than naught if you'll deny it." I waited long and patiently, and thought she must have gone before her answer came. And this is what she said: "If I must tell you then;'tis now two weeks and more since Sir Francis Falconnet asked me to marry him. I--I hope you do feel better, Captain Ireton." And with these bitterest of all words to her leave-taking, she left me to endure as best I might the hell of torment they had lighted for me. VI SHOWING HOW RED WRATH MAY HEAL A WOUND