Opportunity was serving him, for, like Mrs Glaire, he saw but too plainly what the vicar's feelings were towards Eve--feelings that made him grind his teeth whenever they were together, and which finally brought on a fresh quarrel with his mother. It was one morning when Mrs Glaire had been appealing to him to reopen the works. "Not yet," he said. "I should have done it before now if they hadn't been such beastly cowards. I'll give 'em a good lesson this time." "But you are losing heavily, Richard," said Mrs Glaire. "Yes," he said, maliciously. "I like to lose heavily when I can get my money's worth; and I'm punishing them, so I don't care." "But, do you know, that if your conduct does not alter, you'll lose something for which you will never forgive yourself?" "What's that?" he said, eagerly. "Your cousin." He caught his mother sharply by the wrist, and looked her full in the face. "You've been plotting for this, mother?" "Indeed, no, my son." "Do you want me to marry Eve?" "You know I do." "Then why do you encourage that cursed prig of a parson here?" "Because he has shown himself a good friend to me and mine." "Bah!" said Richard. "I won't have it. He shall come no more. Look here, mother; you don't believe that I've got Daisy Banks away." "No, Richard, I never have believed it," said Mrs Glaire, meeting his eye, and responding without hesitation. "Well, look here, then, I tell you what. I'm going to quiet down." "Dick, my own brave boy," cried Mrs Glaire, hysterically, as she threw her arms round his neck. "There, don't be stupid," he said, carelessly repulsing her, after she had kissed him passionately. "I was going to say I'm sick of all this cursed worry, and I shall open the works soon." "Yes, my dear boy, yes." "And suppose, to settle all this rumour about Daisy Banks, I marry Eve?" "My darling boy," sobbed Mrs Glaire; "it is the wish of my life. You make me so happy." "There, don't, mother; how can I talk to you if you keep pawing me about like that? Look here, you're making my face all wet." "Yes, yes, my dear boy, it's very foolish, and I'll control myself." "There, look at them," said Richard, in a low whisper, as he pointed out of the window, to where Eve and the vicar were walking together on the lawn. "Do you see that, mother?" "Yes," said Mrs Glaire, uneasily. "Do you know he's making up to Eve?" He looked at her searchingly. "I cannot help thinking that he admires her, Richard; but I am sure Eve thinks of no one but you." "Then curse him, he shall see me marry her," said Richard, eagerly. "You want it to be, mother, and it shall be--soon. Eve won't mind, and you'll settle it all with her, and then I'm not going to have him here any more." "Don't talk like that, my boy," said Mrs Glaire; "but I do think it would be for your happiness if you were married."