had come into force with the decease of her brother.

Master Lionel moped awhile in her absence; but cheered by Sir John's
assurance that in the end he should prevail, he quitted Cornwall in his
turn and went forth to see the world. He spent some time in London about
the Court, where, however, he seems to have prospered little, and then
he crossed to France to pay his devoirs to the lady of his longings.

His constancy, the humility with which he made his suit, the obvious
intensity of his devotion, began at last to wear away that gentlewoman's
opposition, as dripping water wears away a stone. Yet she could not
bring herself to forget that he was Sir Oliver's brother--the brother of
the man she had loved, and the brother of the man who had killed her
own brother. Between them stood, then, two things; the ghost of that old
love of hers and the blood of Peter Godolphin.

Of this she reminded Sir John on her return to Cornwall after an absence
of some two years, urging these matters as reasons why an alliance
between herself and Lionel Tressilian must be impossible.

Sir John did not at all agree with her.

"My dear," he said, "there is your future to be thought of. You are now
of full age and mistress of your own actions. Yet it is not well for a
woman and a gentlewoman to dwell alone. As long as I live, or as long
as I remain in England, all will be well. You may continue indefinitely
your residence here at Arwenack, and you have been wise, I think, in
quitting the loneliness of Godolphin Court. Yet consider that that
loneliness may be yours again when I am not here."

"I should prefer that loneliness to the company you would thrust upon
me," she answered him.

"Ungracious speech!" he protested. "Is this your gratitude for that
lad's burning devotion, for his patience, his gentleness, and all the
rest!"

"He is Oliver Tressilian's brother," she replied.

"And has he not suffered enough for that already? Is there to be no end
to the price that he must pay for his brother's sins? Besides,
consider that when all is said they are not even brothers. They are but
half-brothers."

"Yet too closely kin," she said. "If you must have me wed I beg you'll
find me another husband."

To this he would answer that expediently considered no husband could be
better than the one he had chosen her. He pointed out the contiguity of
their two estates, and how fine and advantageous a thing it would be to
merge these two into one.