"Aye, and she's a glorious beauty, eh, Constance?"

"But how camest thou by her?"

Cedric reached to that nearest his heart and drew forth Sir John's
letter and gave it opened into Constance's hand. She read it with
blazing eyes and great eagerness; for 'twas a bundle of weapons she
was examining and would take therefrom her choice. She flashed forth
queries as to the probability of this or that with a semblance of
interest that disarmed Cedric and made him wonder if this woman
loved to such an extent, she could fling aside her own interests
and submerge all jealousy, all self-love into the purest of all
sacrifices, abnegation?

"What! no estates? That looks ill, for at one time Sir John was
affluent, for Aunt Hettie has told me of him many a time."

"But he lost it all, as I've heard ofttime from father; he has spoken
not infrequent of Sir John's high living; he had great demesne, a
great heart and great temper; and 'tis the last named that has fallen
clear and uncumbered to his daughter; and the heart will be found by
careful probing, no doubt; and the demesne she will have when she
condescends to take me as spouse."

"Thou, thou espouse her?" and Constance feigned surprise, as if 'twere
a new thing to her, when in reality she had suffered agony from its
repetition.

"Aye, and why not, pray? Am I not of ripe years and know my mind?"