‘He is coming on Tuesday next, by the last train.’

’Then you can’t see him that night.  That’s out of the question.  No doubt he’ll sleep at the Nag’s Head, as that’s the lowest radical public-house in the city.  Martha shall try to find him.  She knows more about his doings than I do.  If he chooses to come here the following morning before he goes down to Nuncombe Putney, well and good.  I shall wait up till Martha comes back from the train on Tuesday night, and hear.’  Dorothy was of course full of gratitude and thanks; but yet she felt almost disappointed by the result of her aunt’s clemency on the matter.  She had desired to take her brother’s part, and it had seemed to her as though she had done so in a very lukewarm manner.  She had listened to an immense number of accusations against him, and had been unable to reply to them because she had been conquered by the promise of a visit.  And now it was out of the question that she should speak of going.  Her aunt had given way to her, and of course had conquered her.

Late on the Tuesday evening, after ten o’clock, Hugh Stanbury was walking round the Close with his aunt’s old servant.  He had not put up at that dreadfully radical establishment of which Miss Stanbury was so much afraid, but had taken a bed-room at the Railway Inn.  From there he had walked up to the Close with Martha, and now was having a few last words with her before he would allow her to return to the house.

‘I suppose she’d as soon see the devil as see me,’ said Hugh.

‘If you speak in that way, Mr Hugh, I won’t listen to you.’

’And yet I did everything I could to please her; and I don’t think any boy ever loved an old woman better than I did her.’

’That was while she used to send you cakes, and ham, and jam to school, Mr Hugh.’

’Of course it was, and while she sent me flannel waistcoats to Oxford.  But when I didn’t care any longer for cakes or flannel then she got tired of me.  It is much better as it is, if she’ll only be good to Dorothy.’

’She never was bad to any body, Mr Hugh.  But I don’t think an old lady like her ever takes to a woman as she does to a young man, if only he’ll let her have a little more of her own way than you would.  It’s my belief that you might have had it all for your own some day, if you’d done as you ought.’

’That’s nonsense, Martha.  She means to leave it all to the Burgesses.  I’ve heard her say so.’

’Say so; yes.  People don’t always do what they say.  If you’d managed rightly you might have it all and so you might now.’

’I’ll tell you what, old girl; I shan’t try.  Live for the next twenty years under her apron strings, that I may have the chance at the end of it of cutting some poor devil out of his money!  Do you know the meaning of making a score off your own bat, Martha?’

’No, I don’t; and if it’s anything you’re like to do, I don’t think I should be the better for learning by all accounts.  And now if you please, I’ll go in.’