He was determined to keep up his own consequence, and began at once by patronising everybody present.  There were some of the county gentry who had demurred as to calling on the old miser’s son, and who were astonished at the kind of tone he assumed.  They, who had been gravely considering whether they could possibly shake hands with him, found themselves on a level with, if not beneath him, at once, by mere effrontery.  There is some truth in the saying that, ’Accordingly as you think of yourself, others will think of you;’ and impudence and riches combined, together with a certain amount of talent and personal appearance, can overcome vast worldly obstacles.  Besides did he not bring an unmarried baronet with him—­one of the very ancient family of Spendalls—­and the son and daughter of a man of title, and a captain of the dragoon guards? to say nothing of that fashionable widow, reputed a fortune.  And were there not plenty of young ladies, poor if proud, in the county, wanting partners, either for dancing or life, or both?

After that evening, people sneered at home perhaps, but they called and invited and made much of the master and mistress of Plas Abertewey, forgetting or ignoring their origin.

Netta, too, obeyed Howel’s last injunction to the best of her ability.  Her youth and beauty were greatly in her favour, and her affectation covered the shyness and awkwardness that she felt in being suddenly thrown amongst people upon whom she had formerly looked with awe.  The Nugents were there, but the Gwynnes were absent, and she had the pleasure of feeling that she had as many, if not more, partners than the heiress, Miss Nugent, and was much more grandly dressed.  As for Miss Rice Rice, she fell quite into the shade before her.

Her old friend, Sir Hugh Pryse, was particularly attentive, and talked to her of Miss Gwynne; and Captain Dancy was as much devoted to her abroad as at home.  Her head was quite turned, and nothing but the consciousness that Howel was present kept it on her shoulders at all; but the fear of a lecture for some mistake in manners kept her so much on her guard, that she got through the evening wonderfully, and achieved what Mme. Duvet called un grand succes.

And Howel danced, and talked, and introduced his friends, and patronised everybody, much as if he had been a feudal monarch amongst his barons.  Here and there might have been seen a suppressed smile, as one of the company whispered to another, ’Where is Mrs Griffey Jenkins to-night?  What would old Griff, the miser, say to those diamonds?  I wonder his very ghost doesn’t appear?’ but still money won its usual way.  And when Howel’s chariot came to the door, there were more surprised and admiring eyes fixed upon it from the bystanders without, than on that of any other of the assembled party.  As Mrs Griffey Jenkins said when she heard of the evening gaieties,—­

’Deet to goodness, and my Howel’s was grander than any one.  I do answer for that.  Now his is a beauty carriage and horses, and servants as grand as Queen Victoria’s or Prince Albert’s, for I did be seeing them in London myself.’