“Oh no,” said Arthur, rising from his
chair with an air of impatience and walking along
the room with his hands in his pockets. “He’s
got some project or other about letting the Chase
Farm and bargaining for a supply of milk and butter
for the house. But I ask no questions about it—it
makes me too angry. I believe he means to do all
the business himself, and have nothing in the shape
of a steward. It’s amazing what energy
he has, though.”
“Well, we’ll go to the ladies now,”
said Mr. Irwine, rising too. “I want to
tell my mother what a splendid throne you’ve
prepared for her under the marquee.”
“Yes, and we must be going to luncheon too,”
said Arthur. “It must be two o’clock,
for there is the gong beginning to sound for the tenants’
dinners.”
Dinner-Time
When Adam heard that he was to dine upstairs
with the large tenants, he felt rather uncomfortable
at the idea of being exalted in this way above his
mother and Seth, who were to dine in the cloisters
below. But Mr. Mills, the butler, assured him
that Captain Donnithorne had given particular orders
about it, and would be very angry if Adam was not
there.
Adam nodded and went up to Seth, who was standing
a few yards off. “Seth, lad,” he
said, “the captain has sent to say I’m
to dine upstairs—he wishes it particular,
Mr. Mills says, so I suppose it ’ud be behaving
ill for me not to go. But I don’t like sitting
up above thee and mother, as if I was better than
my own flesh and blood. Thee’t not take
it unkind, I hope?”
“Nay, nay, lad,” said Seth, “thy
honour’s our honour; and if thee get’st
respect, thee’st won it by thy own deserts.
The further I see thee above me, the better, so long
as thee feel’st like a brother to me. It’s
because o’ thy being appointed over the woods,
and it’s nothing but what’s right.
That’s a place o’ trust, and thee’t
above a common workman now.”
“Aye,” said Adam, “but nobody knows
a word about it yet. I haven’t given notice
to Mr. Burge about leaving him, and I don’t like
to tell anybody else about it before he knows, for
he’ll be a good bit hurt, I doubt. People
’ull be wondering to see me there, and they’ll
like enough be guessing the reason and asking questions,
for there’s been so much talk up and down about
my having the place, this last three weeks.”
“Well, thee canst say thee wast ordered to come
without being told the reason. That’s the
truth. And mother ’ull be fine and joyful
about it. Let’s go and tell her.”
