"You take it from me that it's much better when a man has his own way than when he hasn't. Then he's pleased wud you and makes life warm and easy for you. It's women as are always going against men wot are unhappy. Please men and they'll be good to you and you'll be happy, d?an't please them and they'll be bad to you and you'll be miserable. But women who're for[Pg 103] ever grumbling, and making a fuss about doing wot they've got to do whether they like it or not, and are cross-grained wives, and unwilling mothers ..." and so on, and so on.
She nodded. Then she said gently:In the spring of '99 old Jury died over at Cheat Land. His wife had died a year or two earlierReuben had meant to go over and see Alice, but the untimely calving of a new Alderney had put the idea entirely out of his head. On this occasion, however, he attended the funeral, with the other farmers of the district, and at[Pg 408] the churchyard gate had a few words with Alice before she went home.
"You have a motive," said Edith, "both in envy and in love. You well know that if this charge could be proved, Stephen Holgrave must die.""My Lord de Boteler," said Sir Robert Knowles, "do you remember the circumstance of a certain vassal of yours being accused of shooting a buck?"