"In fair fight; but we need not enter into details now. He is dead, and I am suspected to have left the country with the others who led this business—spoiled, I will admit, through Trevanion. But the end is not yet, and he will not spoil our plans next time. But there are other matters more important to me. My lungs pine for the air of France, and I ask you to come with me."
"No, I will not go with you."
"Think again, my cousin; for thus I will call you, although we are not related by law. We Catholics have always suffered—we suffer still. So unjust are the English laws to Catholics that you to-day have according to the law no name, no home."
"Then why do you persecute me?"
"Because I love you."
"I do not believe it. If you loved me, you would leave me in peace."
"I do love you, I offer you my hand in marriage. I offer you my name—an old name."
I heard a movement in the room, there was a sound like that of the rustling of a woman's dress. Then I heard my dear maid's voice again.
"Otho Killigrew," she said, "I know not what truth there is in what you say. I know you to be a liar. Again and again have you tried to deceive me. But I do not believe you would offer to marry me if I were nameless and penniless. You—you are too base."