He had set himself to survey the Arghouse estate, so as to see how those dying wishes of his father could best be carried out, and he was making himself thoroughly acquainted with every man, woman, child, and building, to the intense jealousy of Bullock, who had been agent all through my mother’s time, and had it all his own way.  He could not think why “Mr. Harold” should be always hovering about the farms and cottages, sometimes using his own ready colonial hand to repair deficiencies, and sometimes his purse, and making the people take fancies into their heads that were never there before, and which would make Mr. Alison lose hundreds a year if they were attended to.  And as Mr. Alison always did attend to his cousin, and gave orders accordingly, the much-aggrieved Bullock had no choice but in delaying their execution and demonstrating their impracticability, whereas, of course, Harold did not believe in impossibilities.

It was quite true, as he had once said, that though he could not bring about improvements as readily as if he had been landlord, yet he could get at the people much better, and learn their own point of view of what was good for them.  They were beginning to idolise him; for, indeed, there was a fascination about him which no one could resist.  I sometimes wondered what it was, considering that he was so slow of speech, and had so little sunshine of mirth about him.

I never did enforce my title of Aunt, in spite of Miss Woolmer’s advice.  It sounded too ridiculous, and would have hindered the sisterly feeling that held us together.

Eustace was restless and vexed at not being called upon, and anxious to show himself on any occasion, and I was almost equally anxious to keep him back, out of reach of mortification.  Both he and Harold went to London on business, leaving Dora with me.  The charge was less severe than I expected.  My first attempts at teaching her had been frustrated by her scorn of me, and by Harold’s baffling indulgence; but one day, when they had been visiting one of the farms, the children had been made to exhibit their acquirements, which were quite sufficient to manifest Dora’s ignorance.  Eustace had long declared that if she would not learn of me she must either have a governess or go to school, and I knew she was fit for neither.  Harold, I believe, now enforced the threat, and when he went away, left her a black silk necktie to be hemmed for him, and a toy book with flaming illustrations, with an assurance that on her reading it to him on his return, depended his giving her a toy steam-engine.

Dora knew that Harold kept his word, even with her.  I think she had a great mind to get no one’s assistance but the kitchenmaid’s, but this friendship was abruptly terminated by Dora’s arraying the kangaroo in Sarah’s best bonnet and cloak, and launching it upon a stolen interview between her and her sweetheart.  The screams brought all the house together, and, as the hero was an undesirable party who had been forbidden the house, Sarah viewed it as treachery on Miss Dora’s part, and sulked enough to alienate her.