“To see me?” said the girl, scornfully. “Isn’t he a gentleman, and arn’t I a witch, as the people say, and arn’t you the worst character in these parts?”
“So they say,” said the old man, grimly. “The fools!”
“Is it likely that a gentleman like him would come after me?”
“That Tregenna did,” said the old man, suspiciously.
“Yes, till you threatened to break his neck,” said Bess, laughing.
“And I’d have done it too,” said the old man, with his eyes lighting up fiercely; “and so I will to this one.”
“He don’t come to see me, father,” said Bess, quietly. “You watch him next time he’s here. He’s not the sort of man to care about women at all, and—hush, father! here he is.”
There was the sound of a heavy foot on the stones above, and Geoffrey Trethick came into sight, looking fresh and breeze-blown as he strode along.
“She knows his step,” muttered the old man, grinding his teeth, “and I won’t have it.”
He glanced at his daughter, and saw that her warm colour was a little heightened as Geoffrey came up with a hearty “Good-morning.”