"You are two fools. So you gave up my niece?"
"Oh dear yes, altogether. She didn't come to Merle Park, you know. How was I to say anything to her when you didn't have her there?"
"Why didn't you go away then, instead of remaining under a false pretence? Or why, at any rate, didn't you tell me the truth?"
"And what would you have me to do now?" asked Captain Batsby.
"Go to the d——," said Sir Thomas, as he left the room, and went to his daughter's chamber.
Gertrude had heard that her father was in the house, and endeavoured to hurry herself into her clothes while the interview was going on between him and her father. But she was not yet perfectly arrayed when her father burst into her room. "Oh, papa," she said, going down on her knees, "you do mean to forgive us?"
"I mean to do nothing of the kind. I mean to carry you home and have you locked up."
"But we may be married!"
"Not with my leave. Why didn't you come and ask if you wanted to get yourselves married? Why didn't you tell me?"
"We were ashamed."