"But I, 'a soldier of fortune', shall have to woo an heiress," said Reginald, "so I am not content."
"What matters it; what matters anything," said Mr. Ewan, "if she loves you?"
"True," said Reginald, "if she loves me." And then they parted company, for Reginald and Delarry were much in request at court, and could not even wait to see them off; but, as Reginald bade Agnes farewell, he said:
"As soon as I can get leave of absence, may I come north and visit you?"
"If you will," said Agnes; "but we are poor folk now. We live at Holt Farm, and you are master of Newbolt Abbey."
"I shall not be master there long," he answered; and so he bade her farewell.
At every cottage door in the little hamlet of St. Mary's, women and children, even the men in the fields, stopped now and again, and, shading their eyes with their hands, looked up over the hills in the direction of Appleby. There was an air of expectancy and gladness on every face, for the news had reached them through Rolfe that the parson, Mistress Patience Beaumont, and the two young maidens were coming home that day.
"It's a wonder they're alive," one woman said to another; "to think they've been through the plague and the fire!"
"But it seems that Mistress Patience is terribly ill," answered her companion.
"So I heard," said the first speaker, "but she'll soon get hale and hearty when she is home again. There they be;" and she pointed down the valley to where a coach was just visible, accompanied by horses and riders. A general movement took place among the villagers, as if they would have all gone forward to meet the travellers.