remark that such had been the intimacy betwixt him and Dorothy, that
he might well imagine himself acquainted with all the friends of her
house. But the intimacy had been confined to the children; the heads
of the two houses, although good neighbours, had not been drawn
towards each other, and their mutual respect had not ripened into
friendship. Hence many of the family and social relations of each
were unknown to the other; and indeed both families led such a
retired life that the children knew little of their own relatives
even, and seldom spoke of any.

Lady Scudamore, the mother of the stranger, was first cousin to lady
Vaughan. They had been very intimate as girls, but had not met for
years--hardly since the former married sir John, the son of one of
King James's carpet-knights. Hearing of her cousin's illness, she
had come to visit her at last, under the escort of her son. Taken
with his new cousin, the youth had lingered and lingered; and in
fact Dorothy had been unable to get rid of him before an hour
strange for leave-taking in such a quiet and yet hospitable
neighbourhood.

Richard took his stand on the side of the public road opposite the
gate; but just ere Scudamore came, which was hardly a minute after,
a cloud crept over the moon, and, as he happened to stand in a line
with the bole of a tree, Scudamore did not catch sight of him. When
he turned to walk along the road, Richard thought he avoided him,
and, making a great stride or two after him, called aloud--

'Stop, sir, stop. You forget your appointments over easily, I
think.'