No doubt she had all the right to do so which promises made by himself could give her.

He had sworn that he would marry the girl, and in point of time had only limited his promise by the old Earl's life.
The old Earl was dead, and he stood pledged to the immediate performance of his vow,--doubly pledged if he were at all solicitous for the honour of his future bride.

But in spite of all promises she should never be Countess of Scroope! Some tinkling false-tongued phrase as to lover's oaths had once passed across his memory and had then sufficed to give him a grain of comfort.
There was no comfort to be found in it now.

He began to tell himself, in spite of his manhood, that it might have been better for him and for them that he should have broken this matter to them by a well-chosen messenger.

But it was too late for that now.