"Here are the eggs, sir. Have I not done well?" she said.
"Put them down, girl," said Nicholas, and paused, afraid to ask the question which might kill his love for her.
Janet was quick to take advantage of his hesitation. "I've done more than rob the peewits this morning, grandfather," she went on, with a glance at Red Ratcliffe. "Whom did I meet, think ye, above the Hill House waterfall?"
A foreboding seized the younger man; for her glance said plainly that she had no fear of what he might have told his grandfather.
"Whom, lass? Come, tell me quick," said Nicholas.
"Why, Shameless Wayne--and learned somewhat from him which he little thought might prove of service to you."
"Shameless Wayne? What led thee to Shameless Wayne?" cried Nicholas.
"Nay, what led _him_ to talk to me? 'Tis not the first time, either. Not long ago, as I was crossing the fields this side of Marshcotes, he stopped me by the way, and made much of some little acquaintance which once there was between us."
Nicholas shot a glance of triumph at Red Ratcliffe, and one of doubt at Janet. "Thou should'st have passed him by," he said.
"What can a maid do, grandfather, when the man is headstrong and she is out of call of help? He"--she lifted her brows disdainfully,--"he dared to make hot love to me that day; and again this morning as I was gathering eggs, he----"
The Lean Man fetched an oath. "So the lad is not content, 'twould seem," he muttered; "it is not enough to kill three of us and to flaunt my son's hand in the public view, but he must--see, child, he means thee no good by this, and I was right when I bade thee keep to home awhile."
"But, a murrain on 't, the girl was willing!" cried Red Ratcliffe, aghast to find the Lean Man's anger diverted so swiftly from Janet to Wayne of Marsh. "What didst say to me this morning, Janet, when I met thee on the moor?"
"What I say to thee now, cousin--that thou'rt the meanest of all my kin, and the one least likely to catch any woman's fancy--that thou may'st threaten, and bully, and play the tale-bearer, and yet not win me in the end."
"'Tis plain to see I bred thee, lass," laughed Nicholas, putting a kindly hand on her shoulder.--"As for thee, Red Ratcliffe, I gave thee free leave to say thy say to Janet, but not to force her will."
