fair lady-niece; I have room in my heart for the two of
you, if you will come in;' on which the water stood in Althea's eyes,
and she took our aunt's hand and kissed it, saying,--

'God reward you, madam, for your goodness to us desolate orphans! I
receive it most thankfully.'

'That's well,' quoth our aunt cordially. And she proceeded to tell us
how, when she got the news of our father's death, she made haste to come
down to Milthorpe. 'Not that I hoped,' said she, 'to be here in time for
the burying; but it was borne in on my mind there should be a friend of
our side of the house to stand by you. Is Mr. Dacre here?'

'He came down to the funeral,' said Althea, 'and hath spoken to us on
some small business matters; but he has been constantly out of the
house, riding about the estate, and so we have seen little of him.'

As she said this the door opened again, and our cousin, the new master
of Milthorpe, entered. I had scarce noted his looks, being drowned in my
grief at the time when, as Althea said, he had talked with us on
business, accounting to us for some moneys, the poor wreck of our
fortunes, which had been lodged in his hands; but I now thought what a
grand gentleman he looked in his rich mourning suit; and indeed he was
of a very graceful appearance, and smiled on us most courtly. He held
his plumed hat in his hand, and, bowing low to our aunt,--

'I am much honoured,' said he, 'that Mrs. Golding should grace my poor
house with her presence before I have had time to sue for it. Will it
please you, ladies, to step into the dining-parlour and sit down with me
to a homely refection I have ordered to be spread there? I must return
to-day to town; so if Mrs. Golding will bestow half an hour of her time
on me to talk over some needful matters, I shall take it as a favour.'

Mrs. Golding bent her head to him, saying, 'At your pleasure, sir;' and
we followed to the dining-room, where we found what I should have called
a plentiful dinner, but Mr. Dacre kept excusing its meanness at every
dish he offered us. This was very grating to Althea, seeming a
reflection both on our ways at Milthorpe and on our poor old faithful
servants; and Mrs. Golding liked it no better. I saw her turning very
red; and at last she said bluntly,--

'The dinner is all very well, and I think Margery cook needs not so many
excuses; so will you please leave speaking of meats and drinks, and turn
to the needful matters you spoke of instead?'