gone; and other
workmen were already demolishing and reconstructing Cross Hall. The
sadness of all this and the weight on the old lady's mind were
increased by the fact that no member of the family had received so much
even as a message from the Marquis himself since it had been decided
that his wishes should not be obeyed. Over and over again the dowager
attempted to give way, and suggested that they should all depart and be
out of sight. It seemed to her that when a marquis is a marquis he
ought to have his own way, though it be never so unreasonable. Was he
not the head of the family? But Lady Sarah was resolved, and carried
her point. Were they all to be pitched down in some strange corner,
where they would be no better than other women, incapable of doing good
or exercising influence, by the wish of one man who had never done any
good anywhere, or used his own influence legitimately? Lady Sarah was
no coward, and Lady Sarah stuck to Cross Hall, though in doing so she
had very much to endure. "I won't go out, my Lady," said Price, "not
till the day when her Ladyship is ready to come in. I can put up with
things, and I'll see as all is done as your Ladyship wishes." Price,
though he was a sporting farmer, and though men were in the habit of
drinking cherry brandy at his house, and though naughty things had been
said about him, had in these days become Lady Sarah's prime minister at
Cross Hall, and was quite prepared in that capacity to carry on war
against the Marquis.

When the day came for the departure of Mary and her husband, a
melancholy feeling pervaded the whole household. A cook had been sent
up from Brotherton who had lived at Manor Cross many years previously.
Lord George took a man who had waited on himself lately at the old
house, and Mary had her own maid who had come with her when she
married. They had therefore been forced to look for but one strange
servant. But this made the feeling the stronger that they would all be
strange up in London. This was so strong with Lord George that it
almost amounted to fear. He knew that he did not know how to live in
London. He belonged to the Carlton, as became a conservative nobleman;
but he very rarely entered it, and never felt himself at home when he
was there. And Mary, though she had been quite resolved since the
conversation with her father that she would be firm about her house,
still was not without her own dread. She herself had no personal
friends in tow