"Miles was never married."
"Miles was married to me, Sir John."
"But we must have proof; your word goes for nothing. There must be
indisputable proof of such an assertion."
She smiled with quiet superiority.
"Knowing with whom I have to contend, it is not probable that I should
assert anything false. I am prepared to prove everything I say."
My darling's face grew white as death. I was bewildered. If this were
true--oh, my God! if it were true--fortune, love and everything else
were lost.
"Where were you married?" asked Sir John.
"At Edgerton--St. Helen's, Edgerton. The Rev. Henry Morton married us,
and the two witnesses were Sarah Smith, who was my maid, and Arthur
Ireton, who was head game-keeper here at Crown Anstey."
It was so quickly told and so seemingly correct, we looked at each other
in amaze.
"We must examine into it," said Sir John, "before going any further."
"That will be best," she replied, composedly. "I had better explain that
Miles, poor fellow, fell in love with me the first time he saw me. Sir
Barnard would not hear of such a thing. He told Miles that if he
persisted in marrying me he would curse him.
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