The maid sobbed. "She'll go mazed, sur. She's in ther weth Maaster Otho. You do knaw his way, sur. I believe he'll jist frighten her till she do marry un."
"But why did they stop here?"
"'Twas on account of Mistress Nancy, sur. She made out to faint an like that, sur, thinkin to gain time. But Maaster Otho can't be aisy bait. He brought her here, and ded send Clement off for the priest. Besides, Maaster Colman could hardly sit on the hoss."
I saw the danger. In the then condition of the marriage laws, the maid Nancy was practically helpless. If the priest went through a form of service, even without the maid's assent, Otho could, by means of the testimony of the landlord of the inn, claim that a legal marriage had taken place. What was to be done, therefore, would have to be done quickly.
"Where are your horses, Amelia?"
She pointed to the house in which they were stabled.
"You can saddle them without any one knowing?"
"Aw, iss sur."
"Do, then."