Christmas. Thus he spoke to the head groom,--and thus he spoke also to
his aunt, who felt some surprise when he talked of Scotland and his
horses. She had thought that only men of large fortunes shot deer and
kept studs,--and perhaps conceived that the officers of the 20th Hussars
were generally engaged in looking after the affairs of their regiment,
and in preparation for meeting the enemy.

Fred now remained a month at Scroope, and during that time there was but
little personal intercourse between him and his uncle in spite of the
affectionate greeting with which their acquaintance had been commenced.
The old man's habits of life were so confirmed that he could not bring
himself to alter them. Throughout the entire morning he would sit in
his own room alone. He would then be visited by his steward, his groom,
and his butler;--and would think that he gave his orders, submitting,
however, in almost every thing to them. His wife would sometimes sit
with him for half an hour, holding his hand, in moments of tenderness
unseen and unsuspected by all the world around them. Sometimes the
clergyman of the parish would come to him, so that he might know the
wants of the people. He would have the newspaper in his hands for
a while, and would daily read the Bible for an hour. Then he would
slowly write some letter, almost measuring every point which his pen
made,--thinking that thus he was performing his duty as a man of
business. Few men perhaps did less,--but what he did do was good; and
of self-indulgence there was surely none. Between such a one and the
young man who had now come to his house there could be but little real
connexion.

Between Fred Neville and Lady Scroope there arose a much closer
intimacy. A woman can get nearer to a young man than can any old
man;--can learn more of his ways, and better understand his wishes. From