Ravenshoe. By Henry Kingsley.

TO LUNCH WITH LORD ASCOT. 283
"Good, good!" said Lord Saltire. "She may know. We
must find her. Now, Charles is coming here to-day. Had you
better meet him, Welter?"
" We have met before. All that is past is forgiven between
us."
"Met!" said Lord Saltire, eagerly. "And what did he say
to you? Was there a scene, Welter?"
Lord Welter paused before he answered, and Lord Saltire, the
wise, looked out of the window. Once Lord Welter seemed
going to speak, but there was a catch in his breath. The second
attempt was more fortunate. He said, in a low voice, -
"Why, I'll tell you, my lord. Charles Ravenshoe is brokenhearted."
" Lord and Lady Hainault."
And Miss Corby, and Gus, and Flora, and Archy, the footman
might have added, but was probably afraid of spoiling his period.
It was rather awkward. They were totally unexpected, and
Lord Hainault and Lord Welter had not met since Lord Hainault had denounced Lord Welter at Tattersall's. It was so
terribly awkward that Lord Saltire recovered his spirits, and
looked at the two young men with a smile. The young men disappointed him, however, for Lord Hainault said, "How d' ye do,
Welter?" and Lord Welter said, "How do, Hainault?" and
the matter was settled, at all events for the present.
When all salutations had been exchanged among the ladies,
and Archy had hoisted himself up into Mary's lap, and Lady
tIainault had imperially settled herself in a chair, with Flora at'her knee, exactly opposite Adelaide, there was a silence for a
moment, during which it became apparent that Gus had a question to ask of Lady Ascot. Mary trembled, but the others were
not quite sorry to have the silence broken. Gus, having obtained
leave of the house, wished to know, whether or not Satan, should
he repent of his sins, would have a chance of regaining his
former position?
"That silly Scotch nursemaid has been reading Burns's poems
to him, I suppose," said Lady Hainault; "unless Mary herself
has been doing so. Mary prefers anything to Watts's hymns,
Lady Ascot."
"You must not believe one word Lady Hainault says, Lady
Ascot," said Mary. " She has been shamefully worsted in an
argument, and she is resorting to all sorts of unfair means to turn
the scales. I never read a word of Burns's poems in my life."
" You will be pleased not to believe a single word Miss Corby
says, Lady Ascot," said Lady Hainault. "She has convicted
herself. She sings' The Banks and Braes of Bonny Doon,' —
very badly, I will allow, but still she sings it."