"You would yourself marry Barbara Lanison, and, having
established a hold over her guardian, you have attempted to force her to
such an alliance by threats. At every turn in the game you have been
foiled. You have failed to impress Mistress Lanison; you failed in a
villainous endeavour to defend her against a drunken man who was acting
on your suggestion; you failed to capture me at Lenfield when you had no
warrant but your own will for attempting such a capture."
"You have sat at the feet of an excellent taleteller, sir, or else you
have a prodigious imagination of your own."
Harriet Payne's eyes were fixed upon Rosmore. She watched him, and
looked no more at Crosby.
"Failing in these endeavours, you made other schemes," Crosby went on.
"Having taken a servant girl from Lenfield, you make use of her. She was
an honest girl, I believe, not ill-intentioned towards me, but in your
hands she was as clay. How you have deceived her, or what promises you
have made to her, I do not know, I can only guess, but, to serve your
own purposes, you have made a liar and a cheat of her. She has brought
Mistress Lanison to Dorchester for you, that you may once more attempt
to force a marriage which is distasteful to the lady.
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