ided a roof over her head. On the advent of Lady Sue Aldmarshe
into his bachelor establishment he called on his sister-in-law for the
part of duenna.
At one time the fair Editha had exercised her undoubted charms over
Marmaduke's violent nature, but latterly she had become a mere butt for
his outbursts of rage. But now to her astonishment, and in response to
her petulant reproach, his fury seemed to fall away from him. He threw
his head back and broke out into uncontrolled, half-sarcastic, almost
defiant laughter.
"How blind you are, my dear Editha," he said with a shrug of his broad
shoulders. "Nay! an I mistake not, in that case there will be some
strange surprises for you within the next three months. I pray you try
and curb your impatience until then, and to bear with the insolence of a
serving wench, 'Twill serve you well, mine oath on that!" he added
significantly.
Then without vouchsafing further explanations of his enigmatic
utterances, he turned on his heel--still laughing apparently at some
pleasing thought--and walked upstairs, leaving her to meditate.
CHAPTER V
THE LEGAL ASPECT
Mistress de Chavasse sat musing, in that high-backed chair, for some
considerable time. Anon Sir Marmaduke once more traversed the hall,
taking no heed of her as he went out into the garden. She watched his
broad figure moving along the path and then crossing the rustic bridge
until it disappeared among the trees of the park.
There was something about his attitude of awhile ago which puzzled her.
And with puzzlement came an inexplicable fear: she had known Marmaduke
in all his moods, but never in such an one as he had displayed before
her just now. There had been a note almost of triumph in the laughter
with which he had greeted her last reproach. The cry of the sparrowhawk
when it seizes its prey.
Triumph in Sir Marmaduke filled her with dread. No one knew better than
she did the hopeless condition of his financial status. Debt--prison
perhaps--was waiting for him at every turn. Yet he seemed triumphant!
She knew him to have reached those confines of irritability and
rebellion against poverty which would cause him to shrink from nothing
for the sake of gaining money. Yet he seemed triumphant!
Instinctively she shuddered as she thought of Sue. She had no cause to
like the girl, yet would she not wish to see her come to harm.
She did not dare avow even to herself the conviction which she had, that
if Sir
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