I marry
Philip; but," and here her voice trembled a little, "I want to make
you understand that, though this engagement exists, I have sometimes
thought of late that perhaps he wanted to break it off, and----"

"Break it off?" almost shouted the old man, his eyes flashing. "Break
it off; by God, the day he plays fast and loose with you, that day I
leave the property to his cousin, George;--there, there, I frightened
you, I beg your pardon, but in his own interest, Maria, I advise you
to hold him fast to his word. To change the subject, your news has
freshened me up so much that I mean to have a little company; will you
come and dine with me next Thursday?"

"I shall be very glad, Mr. Caresfoot."

"Thank you; and perhaps till then you will not, unless he happens to
ask you, mention the subject of our conversation to Philip. I want to
have a talk with him first."

Maria assented, and the squire took his leave with the same
magnificence of mien that had marked his arrival.

CHAPTER VIII

That evening his father astonished Philip by telling him that he
intended to give a dinner-party on that day week.

"You see, Philip," he said, with a grim smile, "I have only got a year
or so at the most before me, and I wish to see a little of my
neighbours before I go. I have not had much society of late years. I
mean to do the thing well while I am about it, and ask everybody in
the neighbourhood. How many can dine with comfort in the old
banqueting-hall, do you suppose?"

"About five-and-forty, I should think."

"Five-and-forty! I remember that we sat down sixty to dinner when I
came of age, but then we were a little crowded; so we will limit the
number to fifty."

"Are you going to have fifty people to dinner?" asked Philip aghast.

"Certainly; I shall ask you to come and help me to write the
invitations presently. I have prepared a list; and will you kindly
send over to Bell at Roxham. I wish to speak to him, he must bring his
men over to do up the old hall a bit; and, by the way, write to
Gunter's and order a man-cook to be here on Tuesday, and to bring with
him materials for the best dinner for fifty people that he can supply.
I will see after the wine myself; we will finish off that wonderful
port my grandfather laid down. Now, bustle about, my lad, we have no
time to lose; we must get all the notes out to-day."

Philip started to execute his orders, pretty well convinced in his own