He hardly
allowed them religious privileges. The church was attached to the
castle by a passage leading from the landing of the stairway in the
library, and he had complained that the singing and preaching annoyed
him, and had frequently closed the chapel for this cause, and yet
a woman that held sway over such a man's heart could mould him to
anything. Why, why had she not married him ere this? She would set
about it at once and bring all these matters concerning his estates
to his notice; 'twould look so noble; 'twas time the castle had a
mistress, and who would better grace it than the fair Lady Constance
of Cleed Hall? And in Adrian Cantemir she had an ally, for he was
madly and desperately in love with Lord Cedric's ward. "I should like
her for cousin; she would make Adrian a fine wife, indeed I think I
should become quite proud of her," said Constance, as if the matter
was already quite settled.
After dancing the stately gavotte, it appeared that the whole company
became heavy and wished for retirement; it might have been a ruse on
the part of beaux, and the fair ones fell into the trap; be it as it
may, the ladies retired.
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