He stopped short in front of Aldous. "Where have you been meeting her—this young lady?"
"At the Hardens'—sometimes in Mellor village. She goes about among the cottages a great deal."
"You have not proposed to her?"
"I was not certain of myself till to-day. Besides it would have been presumption so far. She has shown me nothing but the merest friendliness."
"What, you can suppose she would refuse you!" cried Lord Maxwell, and could not for the life of him keep the sarcastic intonation out of his voice.
Aldous's look showed distress. "You have not seen her, grandfather," he said quietly.
Lord Maxwell began to pace again, trying to restrain the painful emotion that filled him. Of course, Aldous had been entrapped; the girl had played upon his pity, his chivalry—for obvious reasons.
Aldous tried to soothe him, to explain, but Lord Maxwell hardly listened. At last he threw himself into his chair again with a long breath.
"Give me time, Aldous—give me time. The thought of marrying my heir to that man's daughter knocks me over a little."
There was silence again. Then Lord Maxwell looked at his watch with old-fashioned precision.