"Get out of this," he said, with the sternness of wrath suppressed.
"I came to take him away," said Amy, who had begun to tremble from head to foot. "It is my business to take care of him."
"Your business to take care of him from his own"—he hesitated, then said—"mother?" which certainly was the more fitting word.
"If," answered Amy, "a man is to leave father and mother and cleave to his wife, it's the least thing the wife can do to take care of him from his father!"
Mr. Raymount stood confounded: what could the hussey mean? Was she going to pretend she was married to him? Indignation and rage began to rise afresh; but if he gave way what might he not be guilty of a second time! A rush of shame choked the words that crowded to his lips; and with the self-restraint came wholesome doubt: was it possible he had married her? Was it not possible? Would it not be just worthy of him to have done so and never told one of his family! At least there need be nothing incredible in it! This girl—yes—plainly she had both cunning and fascination enough to make him not only run after her but marry her! How was he to come at the truth of the thing? The coward would not have the courage to contradict her, but he would know if he were lying!
"Do you mean to tell me," he said, "that he has married you—without a word to his own father or mother?"
Then out at last spoke Cornelius, rising on his elbow in the bed:
"Yes, father," he said, with slow determination, "I have married her. It is all my fault, not one bit hers. I could never have persuaded her had I not made her believe you knew all about it and had no objection."
"Why did you not let us know then?" cried the father in a voice which ill suited the tameness of the question.
"Because I was a coward," answered Corney, speaking the truth with courage. "I knew you would not like it."