found, soon after his marriage, that the service of his country
required that he should generally leave his wife at Bragton. As her
father had been for many years a widower, Lady Ushant became the
mistress of the house.

But death was very busy with the Mortons. Almost every one died,
except the squire himself and his daughter, and that honourable
dowager, with her income and her pride who could certainly very
well have been spared. When at last, in 1855, the old squire went,
full of years, full of respect, but laden also with debts and money
troubles, not only had his son John, and his grandson John, gone
before him, but Reginald and his wife were both lying in Bragton
Churchyard.

The elder branch of the family, John the great-grandson, and his
little sisters, were at once taken away from Bragton by the
honourable grandmother. John, who was then about seven years old,
was of course the young squire, and was the owner of the property.
The dowager, therefore, did not undertake an altogether
unprofitable burden. Lady Ushant was left at the house, and with
Lady Ushant, or rather immediately subject to her care, young
Reginald Morton, who was then nineteen years of age, and who was
about to go to Oxford. But there immediately sprang up family
lawsuits, instigated by the honourable lady on behalf of her
grandchildren, of which Reginald Morton was the object. The old man
had left certain outlying properties to his grandson Reginald, of
which Hoppet Hall was a part. For eight or ten years the lawsuit
was continued, and much money was expended. Reginald was at last
successful, and became the undoubted owner of Hoppet Hall; but in
the meantime he went to Germany for his education, instead of to