As I have sown, so must I reap;" and she got up,
and unlocking the door left the room.
"Yes," he said aloud when she had gone, "there is a beginning of the
end. Upon my word, what between one thing and another, unlucky devil
as I am, I had rather stand in my own shoes than in Edward Cossey's."
Belle went to her room and sat thinking, or rather brooding, sullenly.
Then she put on her bonnet and cloak and started out, taking the road
that ran past Honham Castle. She had not gone a hundred yards before
she found herself face to face with Edward Cossey himself. He was
coming out of a gunsmith's shop, where he had been ordering some
cartridges.
"How do you do, Belle?" he said, colouring and lifting his hat.
"How do you do, Mr. Cossey?" she answered, coming to a stop and
looking him straight in the face.
"Where are you going?" he asked, not knowing what to say.
"I am going to walk up to the Castle to call on Miss de la Molle."
"I don't think that you will find her. She is in bed with a headache."
"Oh! So you have been up there this morning?"
"Yes, I had to see the Squire about some business."
"Indeed." Then looking him in the eyes again, "Are you engaged to be
married to Ida?"
He coloured once more, he could not prevent himself from doing so.
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