‘How daring of you!  They are your uncle’s.’

‘O, he don’t mind—­I do anything here.  A rough old buffer, isn’t he?’

She was thinking of her Nic, and felt that, by comparison with her present acquaintance, the farmer more than held his own as a fine and intelligent fellow; but the harmony with her own existence in little things, which she found here, imparted an alien tinge to Nicholas just now.  The latter, idealized by moonlight, or a thousand miles of distance, was altogether a more romantic object for a woman’s dream than this smart new-lacquered man; but in the sun of afternoon, and amid a surrounding company, Mr. Bellston was a very tolerable companion.

When they re-entered the hall, Bellston entreated her to come with him up a spiral stair in the thickness of the wall, leading to a passage and gallery whence they could look down upon the scene below.  The people had finished their feast, the newly-christened baby had been exhibited, and a few words having been spoken to them they began, amid a racketing of forms, to make for the greensward without, Nicholas’s cousin and cousin’s wife and cousin’s children among the rest.  While they were filing out, a voice was heard calling—­’Hullo!—­here, Jim; where are you?’ said Bellston’s uncle.  The young man descended, Christine following at leisure.

‘Now will ye be a good fellow,’ the Squire continued, ’and set them going outside in some dance or other that they know?  I’m dog-tired, and I want to have a yew words with Mr. Everard before we join ’em—­hey, Everard?  They are shy till somebody starts ’em; afterwards they’ll keep gwine brisk enough.’

‘Ay, that they wool,’ said Squire Everard.

They followed to the lawn; and here it proved that James Bellston was as shy, or rather as averse, as any of the tenantry themselves, to acting the part of fugleman.  Only the parish people had been at the feast, but outlying neighbours had now strolled in for a dance.

‘They want “Speed the Plough,"’ said Bellston, coming up breathless.  ’It must be a country dance, I suppose?  Now, Miss Everard, do have pity upon me.  I am supposed to lead off; but really I know no more about speeding the plough than a child just born!  Would you take one of the villagers?—­just to start them, my uncle says.  Suppose you take that handsome young farmer over there—­I don’t know his name, but I dare say you do—­and I’ll come on with one of the dairyman’s daughters as a second couple.’

Christine turned in the direction signified, and changed colour—­though in the shade nobody noticed it, ‘Oh, yes—­I know him,’ she said coolly.  ‘He is from near our own place—­Mr. Nicholas Long.’

’That’s capital—­then you can easily make him stand as first couple with you.  Now I must pick up mine.’

‘I—­I think I’ll dance with you, Mr. Bellston,’ she said with some trepidation.  ‘Because, you see,’ she explained eagerly, ’I know the figure and you don’t—­so that I can help you; while Nicholas Long, I know, is familiar with the figure, and that will make two couples who know it—­which is necessary, at least.’