‘Quite well,’ said Sophy; but the boy had wriggled himself loose, stood but for an instant to receive his father’s kiss, and had hold of the sword.  The long cavalry sabre was almost as tall as himself, and he stood with both arms clasped round it; but no sooner did he feel their eyes upon him, than he turned about and ran upstairs.

It was not gracious, but they excused it; they had their little Albinia comfortably and childishly happy, as yet without those troublesome Kendal feelings that always demonstrated themselves in some perverse manner.

And Sophy stood among them—­that brighter, better Sophy who had so long been obscured, happy to have them at home; talking and asking questions eagerly about the journey, and describing the kindness of the Dusautoys and the goodness of the children.

‘Have you heard from Lucy?’ asked Mr. Kendal, as Albinia went in pursuit of her little boy.

‘Yes—­poor Lucy?’

‘Is there no letter from him?’

‘Not for you, papa.’

‘What?  Did he write to his uncle?’

’No, papa—­he wrote to me and to Mr. Pettilove.  Cannot he be stopped, papa?  Can he do any harm?  Mr. Dusautoy and Mr. Pettilove think he can.’

’You mean that he wishes to question the will?  You may be quite secure, my dear.  Nothing can be more safe.’

’Oh, papa!  I am so very glad.  Not to be able to hinder him was so dreadful, when he wanted to pit Lucy and me against you.  I could never have looked at you.  I should always have felt that you had something to forgive me.’

‘I could not well have confounded you with Algernon, my dear,’ said Mr. Kendal.  ‘What did Pettilove mean?  Do you know?’

’Not exactly; something about grandpapa’s old settlement; which frightened the Vicar, though Mrs. Dusautoy said that it was only that he fancied nobody could do anything right without his help.  Mr. Dusautoy is more angry with Algernon than I thought he could be with anybody.’

‘No one but Algernon would have ever thought of it,’ said Mr. Kendal.  ’I am sorry he has molested you, my dear.  Have you any objection to let me see his letter?’

’I kept it for you, papa, and a copy of my answer.  I thought though I am not of age, perhaps my saying I would have nothing to do with it might do some good.’

Algernon magniloquently condoled with his sister-in-law on the injustice from which she and her sister had suffered, in consequence of the adverse influence which surrounded her brother, and generously informed her that she had a champion to defeat the machinations against their rights.  He had little doubt of the futility of the document, and had written to the legal adviser of the late Mr. Meadows to inquire whether the will of that gentleman did not bar any power on the part of his grandson to dispose of the property.  She might rely on him not to rest until she should be put in possession of the estate, unless it should prove to have been her grandfathers intention, in case of the present melancholy occurrence, that the elder sister should be the sole inheritrix, and he congratulated her on having such a protector, since, under the unfortunate circumstances, the sisters would have had no one to uphold their cause against their natural guardian.