ask him into lunch," said Lady Staveley. Something had been
said about Lady Mason since the Ormes had been at Noningsby, and the
Staveley family were prepared to regard her with sympathy, and if
necessary with the right hand of fellowship.

"He is the great agriculturist, is he not?" said Augustus. "Bring him
in by all means; there is no knowing how much we may not learn before
dinner on such a day as this."

"He is an ally of mine; and you must not laugh at him," said Miss
Furnival, who was sitting next to Augustus.

But Lucius Mason did not come in. Young Orme remained with him for
about a quarter of an hour, and then returned to the room, declaring
with rather a serious face, that he must ride to Hamworth and back
before dinner.

"Are you going with young Mason?" asked his grandfather.

"Yes, sir; he wishes me to do something for him at Hamworth, and I
cannot well refuse him."

"You are not going to fight a duel!" said Lady Staveley, holding up
her hands in horror as the idea came across her brain.

"A duel!" screamed Mrs. Orme. "Oh, Peregrine!"

"There can be nothing of the sort," said the judge. "I should think
that young Mason is not so foolish; and I am sure that Peregrine Orme
is not."

"I have not heard of anything of the kind," said Peregrine, laughing.

"Promise me, Peregrine," said his mother. "Say that you promise me."

"My dearest mother, I have no more thought of it than you
have;--indeed I may say not so much."

"You will be back to dinner?" said Lady Staveley.

"Oh yes, certainly."

"And tell Mr. Mason," said the judge, "that if he will return with
you we shall be delighted to see him."

The errand which took Peregrine Orme off to Hamworth will be
explained in the next chapter, but his going led to a discussion
among the gentlemen after dinner as to the position in which Lady
Mason was now placed. There was no longer any possibility of keeping
the matter secret, seeing that Mr. Dockwrath had taken great care
that every one in Hamworth should hear of it. He had openly declared
that evidence would now be adduced to prove that Sir Joseph Mason's
widow had herself forged the will, and had said to many people that
Mr. Mason of Groby had determined to indict her for forgery. This
had gone so far that Lucius had declared as openly that he would
prosecute the attorney for a libel, and Dockwrath had sent him word
that he was quite welcome to do so if he pleased.

"It is a scandalous state o