o
you about it, Uncle Bernard?"

She drew forward a chair even as she spoke, and Mr Farrell made no
objection. The _Times_ lay on his lap, his thin hands crossed above it,
while his sunken eyes were fixed upon the girl's face with a curious
scrutiny.

"If it is any argument about going or staying, I have already
explained--"

"Ah, but it isn't! I am going to stay. I love staying! I don't know
when I have been so happy in my life as I've been to-day, wandering
about this sweet old place. It was the most curious feeling this
morning before you were down--like living in an enchanted castle where
the owner had disappeared! When I gathered the flowers I felt quite
like Beau--" She drew herself up sharply--"They were such lovely
flowers!"

A short laugh proved that the interruption had come too late.

"As I said before, Miss Mary, you are not overburdened with modesty! I
am obliged for my part of the simile!"

But the speaker's eyes were twinkling with quite the most amiable
expression Mollie had yet seen, and she laughed unabashed.

"Ah, well, one description is as exaggerated as the other. I didn't
mean to say it; it just popped out. You know that I didn't mean to be
rude. I wanted to speak to you about something very important--to us,
at least. Ruth will be scandalised, but it's bound to come out sooner
or later, and I want to understand our position... We told you this
morning that we proposed to learn riding."

"You did."

"And you made no objection."

"On the contrary, I quite approved. It is almost essential for your own
comfort and convenience it you wish to enjoy a country life."

"Yes! so we thought. But there is one great objection. We have no
habits."

"Indeed!"

"No; of course, we have never ridden at home."

"I presume not."

"And we cannot ride without habits. Emma, the maid, suggested that Mrs
Thornton might lend us her daughters' just for a few days; but we cannot
keep them long."

"Certainly not!"

Mr Farrell made his remarks with an air of polite indifference, which
was peculiarly baffling. It was evident that no lead was to be expected
from him, and that Mollie would have to put her request in the plainest
possible words. Her lips were pressed together in a momentary
hesitation between embarrassment and laughter; then she thought of the
lecture she would receive from Ruth if her errand ended in failure, and
grew strong again. Her eyes met those of Uncle Bernard s