It was soon found that he hindered rather than helped the work, so Reuben had to cast about for fresh plans. He felt utterly ruthless now, and was resolved to make his daughters manage the house alone. He redistributed the labour, and by handing over the poultry, calves, and pigs to Beatup, and taking some of his work upon his own shoulders, made it physically possible for Caro and Tilly to run the house and dairy with the feeble help of old Mrs. Backfield. He told them that he could not afford to engage a woman, and that they must do without hermaking no appeal to their interest or ambition as he might have done six months ago.
ONE:"Me!""Ha, ha, ha," laughed Richard, "the knave is wisely valiant! He has an especial care of his own neck. Risethou art pardoned."
ONE:"Your work is so beautiful" returned De Boteler, looking at the silk, "that I wish you could find time to embroider a tabard for me.""Nonsenseyou're coming wud me."
TWO:"Lucky we dudor we'd have bin in tedious heart about you, away all night."
She sometimes asked herself if she loved him, and in cold blood there was only one answer to that questionNo. What she felt for him was not love, but obsessionif she had never loved she might have mistaken it, but with her memories of Harry she could not. And the awful part of it was that her heart was still Harry's, though everything else was Reuben's. Her desires, her thoughts, her will were all Reuben'sby a slow remorseless process he was making them his ownbut her heart,[Pg 67] the loving, suffering part of her, was still Harry's, and might always be his.Richard looked upon the pomp and circumstance around him with all the pleasure and vanity of a boy, turning every moment with some laughing sally addressed to his uncle, the Duke of Gloucester, who rode by his side, or, more frequently, to the young Earl of Arundel, the newly-installed marshal of England. These were followed by Percy, Earl of Northumberland, who had so recently resigned the office of lord marshal, Sir John Burleigh, lord chamberlain, the Earls of Oxford, Kent, Buckingham, &c.Lucy, glad to escape from the gaze of the galleyman, and also pleased at an opportunity of showing kindness to an old acquaintance, instantly arose, promising to return in a few minutes with some ale."Well, do you want to marry me?"Chapter 14
