The squire remembered it.  He had also, in some degree, regarded his mother’s prejudices while she lived; but, after her death, Sophia and Charlotte, as well as their brother, began to go very often to Up-Hill Farm.  Naturally Stephen, who was Ducie’s son, became the companion of Harry Sandal; and the girls grew up in his sight like two beautiful sisters.  It was only within the past year that he had begun to understand that one was dearer to him than the other; but though none of the three was now ignorant of the fact, it was as yet tacitly ignored.  The knowledge had not been pleasant to Sophia; and to Charlotte and Stephen it was such a delicious uncertainty, that they hardly desired to make it sure; and they imagined their secret was all their own, and were so happy in it, that they feared to look too curiously into their happiness.

There was to be a great feast and dance that night:  and, as they sat at the tea-table, they heard the mirth and stir of its preparation; but it came into the room only like a pleasant echo, mingling with the barking of the sheep-dogs, and the bleating of the shorn sheep upon the fells, and the murmur of their quiet conversation about “the walks” Latrigg owned, and the scrambling, black-faced breed whose endurance made them so profitable.  Something was also said of other shearings to which Stephen must go, if he would assure his claim to be “top-shearer,” and of the wool-factories which the most astute statesmen were beginning to build.

“If I were a younger man, I’d be in with them,” said Latrigg.  “I’d spin and weave my own fleeces, and send them to Leeds market, with no go-between to share my profits.”  And Steve put in a sensible word now and then, and passed the berry-cake and honey and cream; and withal met Charlotte’s eyes, and caught her smiles, and was as happy as love and hope could make him.

After tea the squire wished to go; but Latrigg said, “Smoke one pipe with me Sandal,” and they went into the porch together.  Then Steve and Charlotte sauntered about the garden, or, leaning on the stone wall, looked down into the valley, or away off to the hills.  Many things they said to each other which seemed to mean so little, but which meant so much when love was the interpreter.  For Charlotte was eighteen and Stephen twenty-two; and when mortals still so young are in love, they are quite able to create worlds out of nothing.

After a while the squire lifted his eyes, and took in the bit of landscape which included them.  The droop of the young heads towards each other, and their air of happy confidence, awakened a vague suspicion in his heart.  Perhaps Latrigg was conscious of it; for he said, as if in answer to the squire’s thought, “Steve will have all that is mine.  It’s a deal easier to die, Sandal, when you have a fine lad like Steve to leave the old place to.”

“Steve is in the female line.  That’s a deal different to having sons.  Lasses are cold comfort for sons.  Eh?  What?”