"Hum!" boomed Mrs. Perage doubtfully. "Perhaps. But not if he had saved her life. That act would have excused everything had it been done as Owain Evans."
"What do you mean by excusing everything?"
"I mean as regards the reputation of Owain Evans. Of course Madoc was always a liar, as I know, and Gwen didn't get on over-well with him. As a deus ex machina_, Gwen would have disbelieved her father's stories of her cousin's wickedness."
"But the poor chap isn't wicked at all. He's the whitest man I know."
"Madoc's lies would have smirched the whiteness of an angel," retorted the old lady sharply. "But Gwen would have either forgiven or would have disbelieved had Hench come as her cousin. As it is she may throw him over if he tells her who he really is."
"Oh, he intends to tell her right enough, and this very day, somewhere about three o'clock," said Vane coolly. "She may cut up rough for the minute, but when Owain gets into trouble she'll find out that she loves him all right."
"Trouble!" Mrs. Perage looked up suddenly. "What trouble?"
"I'm not at liberty to say, Aunt Emma. Owain intends to tell you himself. But there's a big trouble coming along."
"Hum! Can't it be averted?"
"So far as I can see, it can't."