“Why not wed Captain Culverin?”
“Hideous old fool, I tell thee he scorns me!” cried the passionate woman. “He loves that wretched creature. I’ll denounce her, that I will. I’d like to see her burn.”
“She deserves it, too, child; but it would be in vain. Sir Mark and his men and Culverin Carr and his men would defend her. She has witched them to her side.”
“But the wedding must not be.”
“Nay, it shall not, then,” cried the old woman.
Anne Beckley walked up and down the little room for a few minutes, and then with an ugly look disfiguring her handsome, weak face, she stopped short before the old woman.
“Dost know how they served the old woman over at Morbledon?” she said, with a malicious smile.
“Yes, yes,” cried Mother Goodhugh, hastily; “I heard.”
“They tied her neck and heels, and threw her into the pond to see if she would swim.”
“Yes, yes; the idiots and fools.”