"Where could he find a more beauteous or worthy wife ?" Kate gave him a little bow of acknowledgment for his compliment, but her face was slightly more grave as she made answer: "It is not, alack! a question of dislike to me.

Were that all, I might hope to win the favour of stern hearts, and bring the matter to a happy conclusion.

But no; mine uncle of Andover likes me well.
He openly says as much, and he has been a kind friend to us.

And yet I may not wed his son; and his kindness makes it the harder for Culverhouse to do aught to vex or defy him." "But why may you not ?" asked Cuthbert quickly.
"There be more reasons than one, but I will tell you all in brief.
My own father mislikes the thought of the match, for that we are cousins of the first degree; and though we Trevlyns of the older branch no longer call ourselves the servants and followers of Rome, yet old traditions linger long in the blood, and my father has always set his face against a marriage betwixt cousins nearest akin." Cuthbert looked thoughtful.

That certainly was a difficulty hard to be got over.