The Eldest Son

e visited at all, at a time of hard frost. "If I coddle myself up to-day and perhaps to-morrow," he said over the luncheon table, "I shall be abl

lied Dick. "I thought of riding over to Mountfield t

said Mrs. Clinton. "Muriel, and I think Mrs.

my chance,"

ay horse, which danced with impatience on the hard gravel

look a beauty?" said Nancy.

o get on him," said Joan.

ark, managing his nervous powerful mount as if he and the h

jolly," said J

n on a horse,"

hey ought to be. They t

l in love with," said Joan. "He's very good-looking, and he has

ve with them. I'm inclined to think he's turning it over in his mind. I dare say you were blinded by all tha

omehow. See how interested he was in the

a fuss father made of her when she last come over? Took her all round, an

t say so a

this time next year the dower-house will be occupied by Captain and Lady

iss Bird, who appeared behind them in the doorway and promised

d from boyhood to observe and assimilate. He had lived for years the life of court and camp, had adapted himself as readily to the turmoil of London gaieties as to regimental duties in other stations at home and abroad, or to months of campaigning in Egypt and South Africa. He had skimmed the cream of all such experiences as had come in his way, but here

e owner of Mountfield, had married Cicely Clinton, and his only sister just before that had married Walter Clinton, the doctor of Melbury Park, where the Squire w

herself came out as he dismounted. She looked very pretty in

ave you come to see Jim? I'm afraid he's gone ov

ick. "You're going over to K

raham and drive her over. But d

d Dick. "Drive 'em about for a few minutes, Carter. I'l

, and turned to kiss her brother, her hands on his shoulders. "

ankies foam at the mouth with pleasure whenever the babies are mentioned, and even the go

ther," she said, with a smile. "I would take

g round him. "Are you glad to be set

, really. At least, I liked meeting the people

a time,"

t I wanted. I know now. I want just this, and Jim, and the babies. I was overjoyed when our two years in London

smiling nurse, looked as happy babies ought to look-as if they belonged to the house and the house belonged to them. Dick took up his namesak

in such a hurry," she said. "Dick, you ou

"Now I must be pushing on, and you oughtn't to ke

ng back to Kenco

few more miles. I haven't bee

Dick's horse was brought round, and

iting for her at her garden gate, in company with a deerhound, a spaniel, and an Irish te

did intend to put on smart clothes, but I found I couldn't be bothered when the tim

ely, "I should never want to wea

battered, of course. I must expect that, riding and tramping about in all weathers. But I'm as fit as if I were thirty years younge

ess couple, who spent most of their time in working at embroidery, and motoring about the country in

any longer. Cumberers of the ground, I call them, and what they wanted with a country house beats me. But you never know who you're g

ntfield, on the opposite side to Kencote

erage-knows who everybody is and whom everybody has married to the third and fourth generation. What accommodation poor old Parson Marsh has for hunters I don't know. I should think the lady

rsh going to liv

nds. But, good gracious, Cicely, don't encourage me to gossip. I'm getting a regular old hag. It's the influence of your late tenants, my dear. They loved village tittle-tattle, and I had to join in with it whenever we met, because there was nothing

s. Clinton as audience. Cicely had gone upstairs to see the twins and Miss Bird, and Mrs. Graham asked point-blank that Mr.

footman was sent with a message to the Squire, who presentl

ds. "Come to cheer us up with a little gos

aham. "I suppose it is too cold for them

quire, with his loud laugh

cote is the only country house I know where there isn't a

I dare say would be now if that mongrel hadn't gone for Dick when he was a l

't like a sportsman to say so. However, we needn't quar

brother, and a pretty good rascal he was. Got killed in a railway accident in America two or three years ago, and it was the bes

ry to hunt from. She came down

xtraordinary thing! Are there any stables there? I never heard of Marsh keeping an

nd you don't know who she is. I thought

he was sacked. And I was at Cambridge with him and he was sent down, for some disgraceful business, I forget what. Then he was in the Guards, and had to clear out of the service within a year for some precious shady racing transaction. The fellow had every possible chance, and he couldn't run straight. He went abroad after that, but used to turn up occasionally. Nobody would

d than in it," said Mrs. Graham. "But what a

date. I've got a later one

Lord George Dubec had married five years bef

ke her I shall be doing my duty to my neighbours in providing them with gossip. Not that I like gos

think not," he said. "I don'

bably. "I know you don't, Mr. Clinton. That's another poi

be mixed up with anybody belonging to George Dubec-alive or dead. I had the utmost contempt for the fellow. Besides, I don't like Americans, and any woman who would have married him after the life he'd led ... well, she may be all right, but I don't want to know her-th

about it," said Mrs. Graham. "A

n of lace thread and dabbing her eyes with her handkerchief. For the subject of conversation was her approaching departure, and, as she said, with all the kindness that had been sh

egularly," said Joan. "We did think of writing every

overdoing things. Anyhow, we have promised that we will never love Miss Prim half as much

e you to set yourself against your new governess on my account; it is not necessary and you c

"We must call her something, and that's as goo

r respectfully she won

ht," said Joan. "I suppose you know we are going to have lessons besi

're about it," said Nancy. "We shall be ready to

roduced," said Joan. "I think we're worth polishing off handsomely,

ss Bird, "that no well-brought-up

nd you can't deny it," replied Joan.

first it made us uncomfortable; we thought we must have smuts on our noses. But at

ou're going to apply yourselves to learning, although it's a dreadful t

Nancy. "Joan and I can feel them in the air. We'll let

id Cicely. "I think I had

ay it before Starling, but I think you're awfully lucky children, to be goi

said Joan. "It is such a c

"If we don't we shall neve