“Poor little Vi!” said Dermot, who by this time was aware of the courtship, and regarded it with little favour.

“She will rub him off more easily among numbers,” I said, as he settled down by me.  “But is this really so, Dermot?”

“What, is she to be my Lady Calldron?  I am afraid my hopes of that elevation are not high.  But as to the luncheon, you will really have to slaughter your turkeys, and declare war on your surviving cocks and hens.  He has been inviting right and left.  And tell Harold from me that if he votes the thing a bore, and keeps out of the way for fear of having to open his mouth, he’ll be doing serious damage.  If respect to the future baronetcy makes him get into the background, tell him, with my compliments, the whole thing will be a muddle, and I’ll never speak a good word for him again.”

“Then you have been speaking good words?”

“When Sir James began to inquire about the Hydriots, Mr. Alison was called on to answer him, and you are aware that, except to certain constitutions of intellect, as my uncle would say, certain animals cannot open their mouths without proclaiming themselves.  The most sensible thing he said was the invite to come and see.  Really, he made such mulls with the details that even I had to set him right, and that led to Sir James talking it out with me, when I had the opportunity of mentioning that a certain person, not the smallest of mankind, had been entirely overlooked.  Yes I did, Lucy.  I up and told him how our friend came over as heir; and when he was done out of it, set to work as agent and manager and improver-general, without a notion of jealousy or anything but being a backbone to this cousin of his, and I could not say what besides to all that came in his way; but I flatter myself there’s one man in the room who has some notion of the difference there is between the greater and the less.”

“Harold would not thank you,” I said.

“Not he.  So much the more reason that you should take care he comes to the front.”

Dermot did Eustace a little injustice in fancying he wanted to suppress Harold.  He never did.  He was far too well satisfied with his own great personality to think that anyone could interfere with it; and having asked everyone in the room, ladies and all, to the inspection and the luncheon, discoursed to me about it all the way home, and would almost have made me and all the servants stay up all night to prepare.  Harold, who was still up when we came home, received the tidings equably, only saying he would go down to Yolland the first thing in the morning and get things made tidy.  “And don’t bother Lucy,” he added, as we went upstairs.

Well, the supplies were contrived, and the table laid without anyone being quite distracted.  From Richardson downwards, we all had learnt to take our own way, while the master talked, and Mrs. Alison was really very happy, making delicate biscuits after a receipt of her own.  Things came to a point where I was sure they would finish themselves off more happily without either of us, and though one idle female more might not be desirable, I thought at least I might prevent Harold’s effacement, and went down to Mycening with Eustace to receive the guests.