hen I have made the signal, and for some two months or more
you have never even answered it! If you like me so ferociously, why do
you leave me for other people to do just as they like with me?'

'To do as they liked! Oh, Lorna, not to make you marry Carver?'

'No, Master Ridd, be not frightened so; it makes me fear to look at
you.'

'But you have not married Carver yet? Say quick! Why keep me waiting
so?'

'Of course I have not, Master Ridd. Should I be here if I had, think
you, and allowing you to like me so, and to hold my hand, and make me
laugh, as I declare you almost do sometimes? And at other times you
frighten me.'

'Did they want you to marry Carver? Tell me all the truth of it.'

'Not yet, not yet. They are not half so impetuous as you are, John. I am
only just seventeen, you know, and who is to think of marrying? But
they wanted me to give my word, and be formally betrothed to him in the
presence of my grandfather. It seems that something frightened them.
There is a youth named Charleworth Doone, every one calls him "Charlie";
a headstrong and a gay young man, very gallant in his looks and manner;
and my uncle, the Counsellor, chose to fancy that Charlie looked at me
too much, coming by my grandfather's cottage.'

Here Lorna blushed so that I was frightened, and began to hate this
Charlie more, a great deal more, than even Carver Doone.

'He had better not,' said I; 'I will fling him over it, if he dare. He
shall see thee through the roof, Lorna, if at all he see thee.'

'Master Ridd, you are worse than Carver! I thought you were so
kind-hearted. Well, they wanted me to promise, and even to swear a
solemn oath (a thing I have never done in my life) that I would wed
my eldest cousin, this same Carver Doone, who is twice as old as I am,
being thirty-five and upwards. That was why I gave the token that I
wished to see you, Master Ridd. They pointed out how much it was for
the peace of all the family, and for mine own benefit; but I would not
listen for a moment, though the Counsellor was most eloquent, and my
grandfather begged me to consider, and Carver smiled his pleasantest,
which is a truly frightful thing. Then both he and his crafty father
were for using force with me; but Sir Ensor would not hear of it; and
they have put off that extreme until he shall be past its knowledge,
or, at least, beyond preventing it. And now I am watched, and spied, and
followed, and half my little liberty seems to be