Hogan was not surprised.

"Why, then it will be difficult, well-nigh impossible." And
the Irishman became grave.

But Crispin laughed unpleasantly. Years and misfortune had
made him cynical.

"What is the love of a maid?" quoth he derisively. "A caprice,
a fancy, a thing that may be guided, overcome or compelled as
the occasion shall demand. Opportunity is love's parent,
Hogan, and given that, any maid may love any man. Cynthia
shall love my son."

"But if she prove rebellious? If she say nay to your proposals
? There are such women."

"How then? Am I not the stronger? In such a case it shall be
mine to compel her, and as I find her, so shall I carry her
away. It will be none so poor a vengeance on the Ashburns
after all." His brow grew clouded. "But not what I had
dreamed of; what I should have taken had he not cheated me. To
forgo it now - after all these years of waiting - is another
sacrifice I make to Jocelyn. To serve him in this matter I
must proceed cautiously. Cynthia may fret and fume and stamp,
but willy-nilly I shall carry her away. Once she is in France,
friendless, alone, I make no doubt that she will see the
convenience of loving Jocelyn - leastways of wedding him and
thus shall I have more than repaired the injuries I have done