Cayley, then, at twenty-three, looked after his cousin’s affairs.  By this time Mark had bought the Red House and the considerable amount of land which went with it.  Cayley superintended the necessary staff.  His duties, indeed, were many.  He was not quite secretary, not quite land-agent, not quite business-adviser, not quite companion, but something of all four.  Mark leant upon him and called him “Cay,” objecting quite rightly in the circumstances to the name of Matthew.  Cay, he felt was, above all, dependable; a big, heavy-jawed, solid fellow, who didn’t bother you with unnecessary talk—­a boon to a man who liked to do most of the talking himself.

Cayley was now twenty-eight, but had all the appearance of forty, which was his patron’s age.  Spasmodically they entertained a good deal at the Red House, and Mark’s preference—­call it kindliness or vanity, as you please—­was for guests who were not in a position to repay his hospitality.  Let us have a look at them as they came down to that breakfast, of which Stevens, the parlour-maid, has already given us a glimpse.

The first to appear was Major Rumbold, a tall, grey-haired, grey-moustached, silent man, wearing a Norfolk coat and grey flannel trousers, who lived on his retired pay and wrote natural history articles for the papers.  He inspected the dishes on the side-table, decided carefully on kedgeree, and got to work on it.  He had passed on to a sausage by the time of the next arrival.  This was Bill Beverly, a cheerful young man in white flannel trousers and a blazer.

“Hallo, Major,” he said as he came in, “how’s the gout?”

“It isn’t gout,” said the Major gruffly.

“Well, whatever it is.”

The Major grunted.

“I make a point of being polite at breakfast,” said Bill, helping himself largely to porridge.  “Most people are so rude.  That’s why I asked you.  But don’t tell me if it’s a secret.  Coffee?” he added, as he poured himself out a cup.

“No, thanks.  I never drink till I’ve finished eating.”

“Quite right, Major; it’s only manners.”  He sat down opposite to the other.  “Well, we’ve got a good day for our game.  It’s going to be dashed hot, but that’s where Betty and I score.  On the fifth green, your old wound, the one you got in that frontier skirmish in ’43, will begin to trouble you; on the eighth, your liver, undermined by years of curry, will drop to pieces; on the twelfth—­”

“Oh, shut up, you ass!”

“Well, I’m only warning you.  Hallo; good morning, Miss Norris.  I was just telling the Major what was going to happen to you and him this morning.  Do you want any assistance, or do you prefer choosing your own breakfast?”

“Please don’t get up,” said Miss Norris.  “I’ll help myself.  Good morning, Major.”  She smiled pleasantly at him.  The Major nodded.

“Good morning.  Going to be hot.”

“As I was telling him,” began Bill, “that’s where—­Hallo, here’s Betty.  Morning, Cayley.”