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During breakfast, it was arranged that the three elder ladies should go in the Mertons' carriage to Baysmouth, a large town, which was about ten miles distant from Abbeychurch, and take Winifred and Edward with them; Dora was to accompany the other young people in a long walk, to a farm-house, which report said had been a baronial castle in the days of King Stephen, and from exploring the antiquities of which some of them expected great things, especially as it was known by the mysterious name of Whistlefar.
The other, distant six long miles, was the Grassmere farmhouse, where the Mertons lived; the windows seemed burnished gold this evening. In the small cottage lived a plain old woman a Methodist. She was Meadows' mother. She did not admire worldly people, still less envied them. He was too good a churchman and man of business to permit conventicles or psalm-singing at odd hours in his house.
To the Mertons, Lumley spoke with good-natured praise of Caroline; she was so much admired; she was the beauty at Knaresdean. A certain young friend of his, Lord Doltimore, was evidently smitten. The parents thought much over the ideas conjured up by that last sentence. One morning, the garrulous Mrs.
The ice was fairly broken, Maltravers was at home with the Mertons. And when he took his solitary walk to his solitary house over the little bridge, and through the shadowy wood astonished, perhaps, with himself, every one of the guests, from the oldest to the youngest, pronounced him delightful.
When I spoke to him on the subject, he asked me if I thought 'English ladies of condition gave empty hands in marriage? I don't know how it is, my dear Miles, but I always fancied that the Mertons had nothing but the Colonel's salary to live on."
"Come, Ernest, you must not cut these unfortunate Mertons any longer. If you continue to do so, do you know what Mrs. Hare and the world will say?" "No what?" "That you have been refused by Miss Merton." "That would be a calumny!" said Ernest, smiling. "Or that you are hopelessly in love with Miss Cameron."
I confess to some little regret at hearing it, for it was pleasant to meet the Mertons in that unexpected manner, and the influence of woman in such a solitude is unusually great. I now told Marble of my discovery, and when he had got through with his expressions of wonder, I carried him to the tents, and led him into the presence of his old acquaintances.
I had ordered Neb to attend particularly to the wants of the Mertons; and, precisely as the bell of the ship struck eight, which, at that time of day, meant eight o'clock, the black came with the major's compliments, inviting "Captain" Wallingford and "Captain" Marble to breakfast. "So it goes, Miles," added my companion, after promising to join the party in a few moments.
Colonel Barclay, for so was this gentleman called, had taken the Mertons by the hand, as a matter of course; and his example being followed by others, I found that they were already in the best circle of the place.
LORD VARGRAVE heard the next morning, with secret distaste and displeasure, of Evelyn's intended visit to the Mertons. He could scarcely make any open objection to it; but he did not refrain from many insinuations as to its impropriety. Mrs. Leslie, indeed, you know; but Mrs. Merton, you allow, you have now seen for the first time.
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