Mr. Thornycroft hesitated visibly. "It is not a place for a lady to go to," he said, after a pause. "But why not? Mary Anne told me one day you objected to her going on it." "I do. The real objection is the danger. The cliff has a treacherous edge just there, and you might be over before you were aware. A sharp gust of wind, a footing too near or not quite secure, and the evil is done. Some accidents have occurred there; one, the last of them, was attended by very sad circumstances, and I then had these railings put round." "You said the _real_ objection was the danger; is there any other objection?" resumed Lady Ellis, who never lost a word or its emphasis. "There are certain superstitious fancies connected with the plateau," answered Mr. Thornycroft, and very much to her surprise his face took a solemn look, his voice a subdued tone, just as if he himself believed in them: "a less tangible fear than the danger, but one that effectually scares visitors away, at night especially." They were walking round towards the Red Court now, to which he had turned, and Mr. Thornycroft changed the subject. She could not fail to see that he wished it dropped. At the gates of the farm she wished him good afternoon, and took the road to the heath. Justice Thornycroft did not enter the gates, but went round to the back entrance. Passing by the various outbuildings, he gained the yard, just as a man was driving out with a waggon and team. "Where are you going?" asked the justice. "After the oats, sir. Mr. Richard telled me." "Is Mr. Richard about?" "He be close to his own stables, sir." Mr. Thornycroft went on across the yard, not to the house but to the stables at its end. This portion of the stables (as may be remembered) was detached from the rest, and had formed part of the old ruins. It was shut in by a wall. The horses of the two elder sons were kept there, and their dog-cart. It was their whim and pleasure that Hyde, the man-servant (who could turn his hand to anything indoors or out), should attend to this dog-cart and the horses used in it, and not the groom. Richard was sitting on the frame of the well just on this side the wall, doing something to the collar of his dog. "Dicky," said the justice, without any sort of circumlocution, "I think I shall give the Red Court a mistress." Richard lifted his dark stern face to see whether--as he verily thought--his father was joking. "Give it a what?" he asked. "A mistress. I shall take a wife, I think." "Are you mad, sir?" asked Richard, after a pause. "Softly, softly, Dick." Richard lifted his towering form to its full height. Every feeling within him, every sense of reason rebelled against the notion of the measure. A few sharp words ensued, and Richard went into a swearing fit.