at trivial names? Behind his back,
and even before his face, she mimicked his accent, which smacked
somewhat of his province. Harry blushed and corrected the faulty
intonation, under his English monitresses. His aunt pronounced that they
would soon make him a pretty fellow.

Lord Castlewood, we have said, became daily more familiar and friendly
with his guest and relative. Till the crops were off the ground there
was no sporting, except an occasional cock-match at Winchester, and a
bull-baiting at Hexton Fair. Harry and Will rode off to many jolly fairs
and races round about the young Virginian was presented to some of the
county families--the Henleys of the Grange, the Crawleys of Queen's
Crawley, the Redmaynes of Lionsden, and so forth. The neighbours came
in their great heavy coaches, and passed two or three days in country
fashion. More of them would have come, but for the fear all the
Castlewood family had of offending Madame de Bernstein. She did not like
country company; the rustical society and conversation annoyed her. "We
shall be merrier when my aunt leaves us," the young folks owned. "We
have cause, as you may imagine, for being very civil to her. You know
what a favourite she was with our papa? And with reason. She got him his
earldom, being very well indeed at Court at that time with the King and
Queen. She commands here naturally, perhaps a little too much. We are
all afraid of her: even my elder brother stands in awe of her, and my
stepmother is much more obedient to her than she ever was to my papa,
whom she ruled with a rod of iron. But Castlewood is merrier when our
aunt is not here. At least we have much more company. You will come to
us in our gay days, Harry, won't you? Of course you will: this is your
home, sir. I was so pleased--oh, so pleased--when my brother said he
considered it was your home!"

A soft hand is held out after this pretty speech, a pair of very well
preserved blue eyes look exceedingly friendly. Harry grasps his cousin's
hand with ardour. I do not know what privilege of cousinship he would
not like to claim, only he is so timid. They call the English selfish
and cold. He at first thought his relatives were so: but how mistaken he
was! How kind and affectionate they are, especially the Earl,--and
dear, dear Maria! How he wishes he could recall that letter which he
had written to Mrs. Mountain and his mother, in which he hinted that his
welcome had been a cold one! The Earl his c