He accepted his position with a fairly good graceto complain would have made things worse for Tilly and the children. He was inclined privately to scoff at some of Reuben's ideas on farming, but even as he did so he realised the irony of it. He might have done otherwise, yes, but he was kicked out of his farm, the servant of the man whose methods he thought ridiculous.
"Retire!" said he, "we shall consider of your punishment."Something thick and icy seemed to creep into his blood, and he gripped the edge of the pew, as he stared at Realf, sitting there so unconsciously, his damped and brushed hair gleaming ruddily in the light that poured through some saint's aureole. He must not let this youngster beat him.... Beat him?the ice in his blood froze thickerafter all he had not done so very much during the twenty-six years he had toiled and struggled; he had won only a hundred acres of Boarzelllittle more than Realf had to start with ... and Realf was only twenty-five.The Tories."
FORE:One comfort was that these evil summers had blighted Grandturzel too. Realf's fruit and grain had both done badly, and he had been unfortunate with his cows, two of which had died of garget. It was now that the characters of the two rivals were contrasted. Realf submitted at once to adversity, cut down his expenses, and practically withdrew from the fight. Ambitious and enterprising when times were good, he was not the man to be still ambitious and enterprising when they were bad. The greatness of his farm was not so much to him as the comfort of his family. He now had a little son, and was anxious that neither he nor Tilly should suffer from bad speculations. He despised Reuben for putting Odiam before his wife and children, and defying adversity at the expense of his household.
He bent towards her and his lips closed on hers. She nearly fainted, but she did not struggle or try to scream. It seemed years that they stood linked by that unwilling kiss. At last he raised his head."Well, you're not to t?ake that coat back to Flightshot yourself. Give it to me when we come to Eggs Hole, and I'll see that he has it.""Why, liddle creature?""Be brief, Sir Blacksmith," replied the Baron, surprised at the abrupt question, "be brief with whatever you have to say."Then suddenly he turned towards her as she sat there by him, her head bowed over her workher delicate, rather impertinent nose outlined against the firelight, her cheek and neck bewitched with running shadows.Far better give up the struggle while there was the chance of an honourable retreat. He realised that he was at the turning pointa step further along his old course and he would lose Alice, a step along the road she pointed, and he would lose Boarzell. After all he had not won Boarzell, most likely never would win itif he persisted on his old ways they would probably only lead him to ruin, and later there might be no Alice to turn to. If he renounced her now, he would be definitely pledging himself to Boarzell and all his soaring, tottering schemeshe would not be able to "come back" a second time.