“Stop, Kitty. He is not at the door. He has gone home. I sent him home. Now don’t interrupt me. I made up my mind in London that he should not see you again until your engagement was recognised by his father and mother.”
“Should not see me again! Father!”
“That is right.”
“But I must see him! I must see him! Where is mother?”
“Mother thinks as I do, Kate.”
“Oh, what shall I do? What shall I do?”
“Go upstairs, and take off your habit, and think over things. You know quite well that such underhand courting–”
“Piers is not underhand. He is as straight-forward as you are, Father.”
“There now! Don’t cry. I won’t have any crying about what is only right. Come here, Kitty. Thou knowest thy father loves every hair of thy head. Will he wrong thee? Will he give thee a moment’s pain he can help? Kitty, I heard talk in London that fired me–I saw things that have to be explained.”
“Father, you will break my heart!”