Jane, with curling lip, said, 'What would folk exclaim suppose I were to do as you desire?'
'It does not concern us what they would exclaim. Do what is right. Then only is the barrier down between Jack and me.'
Mrs. Marley ground her heel among the rolled stones. Presently she looked up, and said roughly, 'Come along.'
'Mother, what will you do?'
'I will not. You shall be a lady. It is my fixed purpose. I am not such a fool as to cast away what I hold. Would you—if you found a rare chalcedony, throw it into the sea?'
'If it belonged to another, I would put it into his hand. Mother, why is it that dear Mrs. Jose has been so good to us? Why has she stood up so stoutly for you against the whole neighbourhood, but because in her honest heart she thought you could not have done such a thing.'
'Need she know it now? Will you set her against me?'
'I shall not breathe a word of it to her.'
'That fellow Jack—he shall not have you.'
'Mother, I am sure if Jack knew how he had been defrauded by us, he could not love me. He does love me, because he cannot believe this to be possible.'