by a great deal!'

'Did he speak all the time?'

'Yes, once. But there are worse faults than silence; and she seems a
bonny little woman. Honeymooning still--that moonlight walk too.'

'I can fancy that it is a treat to escape from Mrs. Morton. She is
depths below them in refinement!'

'On the whole, I think you may be thankful, Adela.'

'I hope I am. I believe you would soon be intimate with them; but then
you always could get on with all sorts of people, and I have a shrinking
from getting under the surface--if I _could_.'

And indeed, further intercourse, though not without shocks and
casualties, made Mary Northmoor wish that Letitia Bury had been the
permanent inhabitant; above all, when she undertook to come and give her
counsel and support for that first tremendous undertaking--the
dinner-party. Lady Kenton was equally helpful at their next; and Sir
Edward gave much good advice to his lordship as to not letting himself be
made the tool of the loud-voiced squire, who was anxious to be his guide,
philosopher, and friend in county business--advice that made Frank's
heart sink, for thus far he felt only capable of sitting still and
listening.

CHAPTER XIV
WESTHAVEN VERSIONS OF HONOURS

'Thank you, a bit of partridge, Mr. Rollstone, if you please.'

'Excuse me, Mrs. Grover. This is a grouse from Lord Northmoor's own
moors, I presume,' replied Mr. Rollstone, to the tune of a peal of
laughter from Herbert and exclamation--'Not know a grouse!'--for which
Ida frowned at him.

'Yes, indeed,' said his mother; 'we had so much game up at my brother's,
Lord Northmoor's, that I shall quite miss it now I am come away.'

'Flimsy sort of grub!' growled an old skipper. 'Only fit for this sort
of a tea--not to make a real meal on, fit for "a man"!'

The young folk laughed. Captain Purdy was only invited as a messmate of
Mrs. Morton's father.

'You'll excuse this being only a tea,' went on Mrs. Morton. 'I hope to
have a dinner in something more of style if ever I return here, but I
could not attempt it with my present establishment after what we have got
accustomed to. Why, we never sat down to dinner without two
menservants!'

'Only two?' said Mr. Rollstone. 'I have never been without three men
under me; and I always had two to wait, even when the lady dined alone.'

Mrs. Grover, who had been impressed for a moment, took courage to say--

'I don't think so much of your grouse, Mrs. Morton. It'