the vagaries of people who were clearly not English; "they're rather
attractive women, I hear."

"I think you do quite well to be civil to him," said the solicitor. "He
seems to take an interest in the family, and being rich, and apparently
only anxious to enhance the family prestige, you ought to know him. Now,
in reference to those mortgages on Appleby Farm, if you could get"--

"Yes, yes!" said Sir Edward quickly; "we'll have him down here; and, I
say! YOU'LL come too?"

The solicitor bowed. "And, by the way," continued Sir Edward, "there was
a girl too,--wasn't there? He has a sister, I believe?"

"Yes, but he has left her in America."

"Ah, yes!--very good--yes!--of course. We'll have Lord Greyshott and
Sir Roger and old Lady Everton,--she knows all about Sir Ashley and the
family. And--er--is he young or old?"

"About thirty, I should say, Sir Edward."

"Ah, well! We'll have Lady Elfrida over from the Towers."

Had Peter known of these preparations he might have turned back to
Nonningsby without even visiting the old church in Ashley Park, which
he had been told held the ashes of his ancestors. For during these four
months the conviction that he was a foreigner and that he had little or
nothing in common with things here had been clearly forced upon him. He
could recognize some kinship in the manners and customs of the people to