"Oh, no, we aren't, Mrs. Octagon. I came here to arrange matters."
"What matters?" she asked disdainfully, and apparently certain he had nothing against her.
"Matters connected with my marriage with Juliet."
"Miss Saxon, if you please. She shall never marry you."
"Oh, yes, she will. What is your objection to the marriage?"
"I refuse to tell you," said Mrs. Octagon violently, and then somewhat inconsistently went on:
"If you must know, I hated your uncle."
"You said you loved him just now."
"And so I did," cried the woman, spreading out her arms, "I loved him intensely. I would have placed the hair of my head under his feet. But he was never worthy of me. He loved Selina, a poor, weak, silly fool. But I stopped that marriage," she ended triumphantly, "as I will stop yours."
"I don't think you will stop mine," replied Cuthbert tranquilly, "I am not to be coerced, Mrs. Octagon."