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To become the mistress of Carnaby Hall would have pleased Alice Deringham, but, as she had already realized there was no great hope of that, she had prepared to enjoy her Canadian journey. It had, however, fallen short of her expectations.
"Hope you don't mind us coming this way, Ponderevo," he cried; and my uncle, who was sometimes a little too general and generous with titles, answered, "Not at all, my lord, not at all! Glad you make use of it!" "You're building a great place over the hill," said Carnaby. "Thought I'd make a show for once," said my uncle. "It looks big because it's spread out for the sun."
It was not, however, in the fitness of things that quiet should reign at Scargate Hall for a quarter of a century; and one strong element of disturbance grew already manifest. Under the will of Squire Philip the heir-apparent was the one surviving child of Mrs. Carnaby.
Bluff Jack Lorrimer's courage was paralyzed by his love, and he drank deep to dispel his melancholy. Harry Bent who was already under the spell of Netty Swinton, Dick's sister's was indifferent, and Carnaby had been rejected three times, despite his millions.
Stiffly and painfully he descends from the saddle, hears a feeble voice call his name and turning, beholds a hurdle set in the shade of a tree, and upon the hurdle the long, limp form of Captain Slingsby, with three or four strangers kneeling beside him. "Ah, Beverley!" said he faintly. "Glad you beat Carnaby, he crowded me a bit at the wall, y' know.
The first thing after breakfast next morning, he posted a line to Hugh Carnaby. 'Is there any way in which I can be of use to you? If you think not, I shall be off tomorrow to Greystone for a few days. I feel as if we were all being swept into a ghastly whirlpool which roars over the bottomless pit. Of course, I will stay if I can do anything, no matter what.
"You don't know how cold a man feels when his heart is empty." "Paul Seaton nearly wrecked his career at the outset by writing a very foolish and indiscreet book called Shams and Shadows; it was just a toss-up whether he would ever get over it; but he did, and now people have pretty nearly forgotten it," continued Elisabeth, who had never heard the truth concerning Isabel Carnaby.
"It doesn't matter anyway," rejoined Mark, "because it is only Carnaby coming. You might know he would find us even if we were at the bottom of the river." At Stoke Revel, in the meantime, the solemn rites of dinner had been inaugurated as usual by the sounding of the gong at seven o'clock.
"Telling tales!" exclaimed Holt, in consternation, for Holt knew nothing of school ways. "I never thought of that. They asked me to tell Mr. Carnaby that we could not learn our lessons." "They! Who? I am sure I never asked you." "No; you did not: but Harvey and Prince did, and Gillingham. They said Mr. Carnaby would soon make those fellows quiet; and they told me to go." "You hear!
The coach stopped, the gardener ran back, met Mr Carnaby under the chestnuts, relieved him of his portmanteau, and helped him to mount the coach. "Is he going? Gone for good?" passed from mouth to mouth, all over the playground. "Gone for good," was the answer of those who knew to a certainty. The boys set up first a groan, so loud that perhaps the departing usher heard it.
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