"A very pleasant and outspoken young gentleman he du seem—and yet——" Mrs. Hanson shook her head. "And yet——"
But the long expected footsteps were sounding, there came a tapping on the door. That in itself was unfamiliar. In the old days Betty lifted the latch and came in.
Betty came to-night as a visitor, and Mrs. Hanson realised the difference.
"Come in," she said, and rose stiffly to receive her visitor. Betty came in nervously; she looked at her grandmother, hesitated and then came forward and offered a soft cheek.
Betty sat down, her nervousness increasing.
Mrs. Hanson stared at the childish pretty face, it was the face of most perfect innocence, yet Mrs. Hanson looked with eyes of suspicion.
"The weather be holding up," she remarked, she was a woman who never came straight to the matter in hand, as Betty well knew.
It was like carrying the war into the enemy’s camp.
"True I did send for ’ee," Mrs. Hanson frowned.
"I hev had from young Mr. Allan Homewood an offer with which I be greatly surprised."
"From—from——" the colour deepened in the pretty cheeks, a fact that Mrs. Hanson’s keen eyes did not miss.
"And why pray should ’ee blush at the mention of the gentleman’s name."
"And now ’ee be lying as well, Betty Hanson."
"Very distrustful and uneasy I be in my mind, very distrustful. Betty Hanson, look me in the eye and answer me this: what be there between ’ee and Mr. Allan Homewood?"
"Oh! oh grandmother—there——" Betty was silent, she pressed her hands against her breast. "Be-between I and Mr. Homewood grandmother, what—what should there be?"
"There should be nothing Miss, but there be! there be, I see it. What be he to thee?"
"Nothing, nothing, nothing. Oh grandmother, why do ’ee worry I so? I wish—I wish—I hadn’t come!"
"If so be as your mind were at rest and your conscience clear, Betty Hanson, ’ee wouldn’t hev said that! Now answer, answer me and speak the truth for I be your dead father’s mother and your only living relative I be. What be Mr. Allan Homewood to ’ee?"
"Nothing," the girl whispered, "he bain’t nothing to I—nothing, and if anyone hev told ’ee contrairywise he be a liar!"
"The truth I will hev! nor shall ’ee leave this place——"
Mrs. Hanson rose, she crossed the room to the door and turned the ponderous key. "The truth will I hev before I shall allow ’ee to depart, what be Mr. Allan Homewood of Homewood Manor House, to ’ee, Betty Hanson?"