Ravenshoe. By Henry Kingsley.

CHARLES'S DOMESTIC RELATIONS. 75
Charles faced round instantly, and confronted his enemy with
a smile on his lips; but he said not a word, trying to force Mackworth to continue.
"Why don't you leave him alone?" said Cuthbert.
"My dear Cuthbert," said Charles, "pray don't humiliate me
by interceding; I assure you I am greatly amused. You see
he does. n't speak to me; he addressed himself to Mr. Tiernay."
"I wished," said Mackworth, " to call Father Tiernay's attention, as a stranger to this part of the world, to the fact of a young
gentleman's corresponding with an illiterate groom in preference
to any member of his family."
"The reason I do it," said Charles, speaking to Tiernay, but
steadily watching Mackworth to see if any of his shafts hit, "is
to gain information. I like to know what goes on in my absence.
Cuthbert here is buried in his books, and does not know everything."
No signs of flinching there. Mackworth sat with a scornful
smile on his pale face, without moving a muscle.
"He likes to get information," said Mackworth, about his
village amours, I suppose. But, dear me, he can't know anything that the whole parish don't know. I could have told him
that poor deluded fool of an underkeeper was going to marry
Mary Lee, after all that had happened. He will be dowering a
wife for his precious favorite some day."
" My precious favorite, Father Tiernay," said Charles, still
closely watching Mackworth, "is my foster-brother. He used
to be a great favorite with our reverend friend; his pretty sister
Ellen is so still, I believe."
This was as random an arrow as ever was shot, and yet it
went home to the feather. Charles saw Mackworth give a start
and bite his lip; and knew that he had smote him deep; he burst
out laughing.
"With regard to the rest, Father Tiernay, any man who says
that there was anything wrong between me and Mary Lee tells,
saving your presence, a lie. It's infernally hard if a man
may n't play at love-making with the whole village for a confidant, and the whole matter a merry joke, but one must be accused of all sorts of villany. Is n't ours a pleasant household,
Mr. Tiernay?"
Father Tiernay shook his honest sides with a wondering laugh,
and said: "Faix it is. But I hope ye'll allow me to put matters right betune you two. Father Mackworth begun on the
young man; he was going out to his dudeen as peaceful as an
honest young gentleman should. And some of the best quality
are accustomed to converse their grooms in the evening over their