“Rather,” said his Lordship.

“But is it odd that an utterly uneducated man, one whom his country has left to grow up in the ignorance of a brute, should have recourse to any measure, however objectionable, when the law will absolutely give him no redress against the trespass made by a couple of hundred horsemen?” Lord Rufford gave it up, feeling the Senator to be a man with whom he could not argue.

CHAPTER XVI

At Last

When once Mrs. Morton had taken her departure for London, on the day after her grandson’s death, nothing further was heard of her at Bragton.  She locked up everything and took all the keys away, as though still hoping,—­against hope,—­that the will might turn out to be other than she expected.  But when the lawyer came down to read the document he brought the keys back with him, and no further tidings reached Dillsborough respecting the old woman.  She still drew her income as she had done for half a century, but never even came to look at the stone which Reginald put up on the walls of Bragton church to perpetuate the memory of his cousin.  What moans she made she made in silent obscurity, and devoted the remainder of her years to putting together money for members of her own family who took no notice of her.

After the funeral, Lady Ushant returned to the house at the request of her nephew, who declared his purpose of remaining at Hoppet Hall for the present.  She expostulated with him and received from him an assurance that he would take up his residence as squire at Bragton as soon as he married a wife,—­should he ever do so.  In the meantime he could, he thought, perform his duties from Hoppet Hall as well as on the spot.  As a residence for a bachelor he preferred, he said, Hoppet Hall to the park.  Lady Ushant yielded and returned once again to her old home, the house in which she had been born,—­ and gave up her lodgings at Cheltenham.  The word that he said about his possible marriage set her mind at work, and induced her to put sundry questions to him.  “Of course you will marry?” she said.

“Men who have property to leave behind them usually do marry, and as I am not wiser than others, I probably may do so.  But I will not admit that it is a matter of course.  I may escape yet”

“I do hope you will marry.  I hope it may be before I die, so that I may see her.”

“And disapprove of her, ten to one.”

“Certainly I shall not if you tell me that you love her.”

“Then I will tell you so, to prevent disagreeable results.”

“I am quite sure there must be somebody that you like, Reginald,” she said after a pause.

“Are you?  I don’t know that I have shown any very strong preference.  I am not disposed to praise myself for many things, but I really do think that I have been as undemonstrative as most men of my age.”

“Still I did hope—­”