have been pretty and good, but who had no advantages either of
fortune or birth. She was, indeed, the daughter of a bankrupt
innkeeper in Montreal. Soon after this he sold out and brought his
wife home to Bragton. It was at this period of the squire's life
that the romance spoken of occurred. John Morton, the brother with
the aristocratic wife, was ten or twelve years older than Reginald,
and at this time lived chiefly at Bragton when he was not in town.
He was, perhaps, justified in regarding Bragton as almost belonging
to him, knowing as he did that it must belong to him after his
father's lifetime, and to his son after him. His anger against his
brother was hot, and that of his wife still hotter. He himself had
squandered thousands, but then he was the heir. Reginald, who was
only a younger brother, had sold his commission. And then he had
done so much more than this! He had married a woman who was not a
lady! John was clearly of opinion that at any rate the wife should
not be admitted into Bragton House. The old squire in those days
was not a happy man; he had never been very strong-minded, but now
he was strong enough to declare that his house-door should not be
shut against a son of his,--or a son's wife, as long as she was
honest. Hereupon the Honourable Mrs. Morton took her departure, and
was never seen at Bragton again in the old squire's time. Reginald
Morton came to the house, and soon afterwards another little
Reginald was born at Bragton Park. This happened as long ago as
1835, twenty years before the death of the old squire.

But there had been another child, a daughter, who had come between
the two sons, still living in these days, who will become known to
any reader who will have patience to follow these pages to the end.
She married, not very early in life, a certain Sir William Ushant,
who was employed by his country in India and elsewhere, but who