"Did he go about tattooing all the girls he was in love with?"
"He was not in love with me," rejoined Mrs. Prisom, with dignity, "and I only let him tattoo me because I was a schoolgirl and his old playfellow. I knew no better then; but Madaline was a grown woman when he loved her, and marked her with the cross. I suppose it was to bind her to him;--not that it did much good, for shortly afterwards he married Miss Darmer, and in a rage at his desertion Madaline took up with an old admirer--Luke Fielding was his name--and she married him almost on the same day that Sir Francis led his bride to the Hall."
"Did she ever forgive him?"
"She said she did," replied Mrs. Prisom, with hesitation; "but I have my doubts of that. At all events, she was stopping at the Hall within the year of her marriage."
"How was that?"
"Well, you see, sir, in nine months after the marriage Mr. Fielding died, leaving Madaline with no money and a little child. About the same time Lady Fellenger died at the birth of the dead Sir Gregory. Somebody was wanted as a nurse, and Madaline asked Sir Francis if she could come. She was poor, you see, and wanted money, although after the death of her husband she was living with her father. At first Sir Francis would not let her come--feeling ashamed-like, no doubt--but in some way she prevailed against him, and went to the hall as the nurse to the heir."
"And what about her own child?"
"She took him also, by permission of Sir Francis."
"Oh! was the child of Madaline a son?"
"Yes. Her son and that of Sir Francis were born almost on the same day; she insisted that her son should come to the Hall also, so Sir Francis agreed in the end."