Another pause.
"Jéhan!" whispered Gabrielle. "Oh! if only he had not returned last night to Kérnak! But how did you miss him?"
"I should have been here myself ere midnight, but lost my way in the stretch of forest which lies between. I should have had a sorry night had it not been for the hospitality of a charcoal burner, who allowed me to sleep in his hut."
"And now——"
"We must not delay, sister. There is work to be done, and at once, though ... though I fear that Cécile will not come over to-day."
Instinct of sympathy bade Gabrielle put loving arms about his neck.
"But to-morrow we will go to her," she whispered. "And Jéhan will see then that you are indeed the Marquis."
"I would that Jéhan were here now," he answered. "I tell you, Gay, we should not wait an instant. Trouet and his red-cap orators from Paris may be here at any time now to do their devil's work. Let's to the house and see what steps we must take first to make sure of our hearing; my Breton is too halting to face an assembly of tenants unaided."
"There is Pierre," Gabrielle replied. "He was butler and valet for forty years to the old Marquis Gilles. Last night he wept for joy to see me. His daughter Olérie told me he would do anything for a Varenac. If all are like him our task is easy."
"Good. But did you not say that Denningham and Steenie were here?"