to the making of pictures. She was prettily dressed in silk; and a square of bristol-board, a box of Newman’s water-colours, and a few camel’s-hair pencils were neatly arranged before her. She rose when Brune entered, and met him with a suave courtesy; and the unsophisticated 152 young man took it for a genuine pleasure. He felt sorry to trouble such a nice-looking gentlewoman, and he said so with a sincerity that made her suddenly serious. “Have you brought me bad news, Mr. Anneys?” she asked. 152 “I am afraid you will be put about a bit. Sir Ulfar Fenwick met my sister this morning; and they were seen by ill-natured eyes, and I came, quiet-like, to let you know that he must leave the dales to-night.” “Cannot Sir Ulfar meet his own wife?” “Lady Redware, that is not the question. Put it, ‘Cannot Sir Ulfar meet your sister?’ and I will answer you quick enough, ‘Not while there are two honest men in Allerdale to prevent him.’” “You cannot frighten Sir Ulfar from Allerdale. To threaten him is to make him stay.” 153 “Dalesmen are not ones to threaten. I tell you that the vicar’s maid saw Sir Ulfar and my sister together; and when William Anneys hears of it, Sir Ulfar will get such a notice to leave these parts as will give 154 him no choice. I came to warn him away before he could not help himself. I say freely, I did so to please Aspatria, and out of no good-will going his way.” 154 “But if he will not leave Allerdale?” “But if William Anneys, and the sixty gentlemen who will ride with William Anneys, say he must go? What then?” “Of course Sir Ulfar cannot fight a mob.” “Not one of that mob of gentlemen would fight him; but they all carry stout riding-whips.” And Brune looked at the lady with a sombre intentness which made further speech unnecessary. She had been alarmed from the first; she now made no further attempt to disguise her terror. “What must I do, Mr. Anneys?” she asked. “What must I do?” “Send your brother away from Cumberland to-night. I say he must leave to-night. To-morrow morning may be too late to prevent a great humiliation. Aspatria begged me to come to
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