ways been very
dear to Lady Mason. Every step of it was over beautiful ground, and a
delight in scenery was one of the few pleasures which her lot in life
had permitted her to enjoy. But to-day she could not allow herself
the walk. Her pleasure and delight must be postponed to her son's
wishes! But then she was used to that.

She found Mrs. Orme alone, and sat with her for an hour. I do not
know that anything was said between them which deserves to be
specially chronicled. Mrs. Orme, though she told her many things, did
not tell her what Sir Peregrine had said as he was going up to his
bedroom on the preceding evening, nor did Lady Mason say much about
her son's farming. She had managed to gather from Lucius that he
had not been deeply impressed by anything that had fallen from Sir
Peregrine on the subject, and therefore thought it as well to hold
her tongue. She soon perceived also, from the fact of Mrs. Orme
saying nothing about Lucius, that he had not left behind him any very
favourable impression. This was to her cause of additional sorrow,
but she knew that it must be borne. Nothing that she could say would
induce Lucius to make himself acceptable to Sir Peregrine.

When the hour was over she went down again to her little carriage,
Mrs. Orme coming with her to look at it, and in the hall they met Sir
Peregrine.

"Why does not Lady Mason stop for lunch?" said he. "It is past
half-past one. I never knew anything so inhospitable as turning her
out at this moment."

"I did ask her to stay," said Mrs. Orme.

"But I command her to stay," said Sir Peregrine, knocking his stick
upon the stone floor of the hall. "And let me see who will dare to
disobey me. John, let Lady Mason's carriage and pony stand in the
open coach-house till she is ready." So Lady Mason went back and did
remain for lunch. She was painfully anxious to maintain the best
possible footing in that house, but still more anxious not to have
it thought that she was intruding. She had feared that Lucius by his
offence might have estranged Sir Peregrine against herself; but that
at any rate was not the case.

After lunch she drove herself to Hamworth and made her second visit.
On this occasion she called on one Mrs. Arkwright, who was a very
old acquaintance, though hardly to be called an intimate friend.
The late Mr. Arkwright,--Dr. Arkwright as he used to be styled
in Hamworth,--had been Sir Joseph's medical attendant for many
years, and therefore th