an account of my stewardship, and to say good-bye."

He placed a garden-chair near her and sat down. She laid her hands
one on the other in her lap, and composed herself to listen.

"First," he said, "as to the Warren Lodge. It is let for a month
only; so you can allow Mrs. Goff to have it rent free in July if you
still wish to. I hope you will not act so unwisely."

She smiled, and said, "Who are the present tenants? I hear that they
object to the dairymaids and men crossing the elm vista."

"We must not complain of that. It was expressly stipulated when they
took the lodge that the vista should be kept private for them. I had
no idea at that time that you were coming to the castle, or I should
of course have declined such a condition."

"But we do keep it private for them; strangers are not admitted. Our
people pass and repass once a day on their way to and from the
dairy; that is all."

"It seems churlish, Lydia; but this, it appears, is a special
case--a young gentleman, who has come to recruit his health. He
needs daily exercise in the open air; but he cannot bear
observation, and he has only a single attendant with him. Under
these circumstances I agreed that they should have the sole use of
the elm vista. In fact, they are paying more rent than would be
reasonable without this privilege."

"I hope the young gentleman is not mad."