Mary Gray

years of peace, in which he forgot for long periods, broken onl

e there is a space and breeziness that the fa

up the hill towards it. Around the square there are still gardens and crescents and roads of consideration, but ever dwindling in social status as o

built by wealthy merchants and professional people in the eighteenth century. They had splendours of double doors and marble pavements, of frescoed walls and ceilings, and carved mantelpieces. They were entered from a quiet street

-beds, and here and there were forest trees which had been there when the district was fields. Country birds came and built there year after year. You might hear the thrush begin about January. And in the spring it was a wilderness of sweet hyacinths and daffodils, lilac and may. The rooms

much to the disgust of the Dowager, who had several protégés of her own practically engaged. When the General had outwi

rl, is an invincible curiosity. She'd like to know what we had for lunch and dinner, who came to see us, and what clothes we wore. I'm glad you wouldn't have that mantua-make

ell her to leave

ears of his strenuous life, had very little bravery when it came to a

ur Uncle Gerald's widow. Poor Gerald! what a dear fellow he was! No matt

niscence of the younger brother to whom he had been tenderly attached, and for whom

e standards and exhortations of their social superiors are as though they were not. Pat was lynx-eyed for a malingerer in his Honour's service; and, indeed, where the rule was so easy and pleasant there was no excuse for malingering. Pat, too, was ably seconded by Bridget, the cook, who had come in originally as kitchen-maid, and had in time taken the place of the very important and pretentious functionary with whom they had started, and whose cookery did

s the morning after this banquet, and presenting her with a golden sovereign,

t's way of saying that Bridget polished her utensils till they reflected like a mirror. "She's a rale good little girsh

leasanter for everyone in the house when, thanks to Bridget's excellent plain cooking. Sir Denis forgot he had such a thing as a liver, and had no more of the gouty attacks which made his temper east-windy

was with us, same as he married off Rose to the postman and gave them a cottage; an

we're both young enough to wait a bit, Pat. There'll be new ways when Mi

as her Ladyship's alive,

ther it 'ud be something in the country. Why wouldn't you be his coachman as

might have a littl

omething went dreadfully wrong with the General's temper, and he would come roaring downstairs and alon

"Supposin' the gout was to go to his heart! He w

so he is, the langwidge he's usin' about her all over the house. By-and-by he'll be rememberin' she's Sir Gerald's widdy, and'll be askin' me ashamed-like, 'I hope I didn't say

of Sir Denis was

house," said Bridget, "instead of lettin'

ma'am,' I ever heard him say to her. Whirroo, Bridget, you should ha' heard him whin his timper was up givin' it to us long ago

ehold assembled for prayers. After breakfast Sir Denis walked to his club in Pall Mall, wet or dry. He would read the papers and discuss the cheeseparing policy of the Government with some of his old chums, lunch at the club, play a game of dom

ice he would relinquish to no one. He was the most patient of chaperons, too, and never grumbled if the daylight found him still at the whist-table, although he would rise at the same hour as usual and carry out his appointed round for the day as if he had n

mention of dogs would be quite insufficient. Duke the Irish terrier and Bonaparte the pug, usually Boney, and Nelson the bull terrier, were as important and characteristic members of the household as anyone else, except, perhaps, Sir Denis and Miss Nelly. Nelly used to explain her stay-at-home ways to her friends by saying that the dogs were offended with her if she went ou

hat stood out for Sir Denis, and, although

by making a little detour, to pass along the quiet street on which the houses in Sherwood Square opened. It became an established thing that they should pass

cluded prayers, there would come the steady trot of cavalry and the jingle of accoutrements. If he had not quite finished, he wou

heir kind. Down the street the soldiers would come, all flashing in scarlet and gold, the sleek horses shining in the morning sun with a deeper lustre than their polished accoutrements. There would b

s wearing a blue ribbon in it. She was fond of blue, and the simplicity of it became her fresh youth. Just as the soldiers halted the wind

watched the troops out of sight as usual. The odd thing was that Nelly passed over her loss in silence,

rvants had left the room,

he said. "He's a good soldier, Nelly, my gir

stant she was redder than a rose. No one would have suspected Sir Denis of slyness, but the look he