She heard him in attentive silence, and all the time watched him. When he had done, she did not say anything for a moment, but looked thoughtfully at him. After a pause, she said: “Was Pen very much distressed to find my son head over ears in love with Lydia Daubenay?”
“I did not think so.”
“Oh! And my son, I think you said, showed himself to be shocked at die seeming impropriety of her situation?”
“Not unnaturally, though I could have wished that he had not shown his disapproval quite so plainly. She is very young, you see. It had not occurred to her that there was anything amiss.”
“Piers had never the least tact,” she said. “I expect he told her that you were in honour bound to marry her.”
“He did, and he spoke no less than the truth.”
“Forgive me, Sir Richard, but did you offer for Pen because you felt your honour to be involved?”
“No, I asked her to marry me because I loved her, ma’am.”
“Did you tell her so, Sir Richard?”
“Yes. But she did not believe me.”