t.
Their honeymoon was ideally happy. It fulfilled a dream of their life,
when Frank used, in the holidays spent by Mary with his mother, to read
aloud the Waverley novels, and they had calculated, almost as an
impossible castle in the air, the possibility of visiting the localities.
And now they went, as assuredly they had never thought of going, and not
much impeded by the greatness that had been thrust on them. The
good-natured Kentons had dispensed his Lordship from the encumbrance of a
valet, and though my Lady could not well be allowed to go maidless, Lady
Kenton had found a sensible, friendly person for her, of whom she soon
ceased to be afraid, and thus felt the advantage of being able to attend
to her husband instead of her luggage.

Tourists might look and laugh at their simple delight as at that of a
pair of unsophisticated cockneys. This did not trouble them, as they
trod what was to them classic ground, tried in vain the impossible feat
of 'seeing Melrose aright,' but revelled in what they did see, stood with
bated breath at Dryburgh by the Minstrel's tomb, and tracked his magic
spells from the Tweed even to Staffa, feeling the full delight for the
first time of mountain, sea, and loch. Their enjoyment was perhaps even
greater than that of boy and girl, for it was the reaction of chastened
lives and hearts 'at leisure from themselves,' nor were spirit and vigour
too much spent for enterprise.

They tasted to the full every innocent charm that came in their way, and,
above all, the bliss of being together in the perfect sympathy that had
been the growth of so many years. Their maid, Harte, might well confide
to her congeners that though my lord and my lady were the oldest couple
she had known, they were the most attached, in a quiet way.

They were loth to end this state of felicity before taking their new
cares upon them, and were glad that the arrangements of the executors
made it desirable that they should not take possession till October, when
they left behind them the gorgeous autumn beauty of the western coast and
journeyed southwards.

The bells were rung, the gates thrown wide open, and lights flashed in
the windows as Lord and Lady Northmoor drove up to their home, but it was
in the dark, and there was no demonstrative welcome, the indoor servants
were all new, the cook-housekeeper hired by Lady Kenton's assistance, and
the rest of the maids chosen by her, the butler and his subordinate
acq