"What a great delightful place this is!" said Florence; "fancy any one person owning it!" She heaved a quick sigh as she spoke.
"It is a great responsibility having a place like this and so much money," answered Mrs. Clavering. "Florence dear, I don't want to preach--in fact, there is nothing I hate more, but I should like to say one thing. Happiness in the world is far more evenly divided than anyone has the least idea of. Riches are eagerly coveted by those who are poor, but the rich have immense responsibilities. Remember, my child, that we all have to give an account with regard to our individual talents some day."
Florence stirred restlessly and approached the window.
"I wonder where Mary is," she said, and just as she uttered the words the silver gong in the hall sounded, and the three ladies hurried down to luncheon.
Still no sign of Mary, but just as they were all wondering with regard to her absence, the door was opened, and a girl, with a smudge on her face and her hat pushed crooked on her head, entered the room. She held her little sketch-book and came eagerly forward.
"Oh, I am sorry I am late," she said; "I hope I kept no one waiting. I forgot all about it--it was that wonderful old oak-tree."
"What, the grenadier?" said Sir John, with a smile. "Have you been sketching it, Miss Bateman?"
"I have been trying to, but it is awfully difficult."
He went up to Mary, took her sketch-book, opened it, and a smile of pleasure flitted across his face as he saw the very clever and spirited sketch which the girl had made.
"Ah!" he said, "I am delighted you like this sort of thing. Would you like to take many views from my grounds?"
"Certainly--better than anything in the world almost," said Mary.
"Well, let me offer you my arm now into lunch. Ladies, will you follow us, please?"
Florence's brow contracted with a frown. Mrs. Clavering took Kitty's hand, motioned to Florence to follow, and they went into the dining-room.
During the rest of the meal Sir John devoted himself to Mary; her frank, commonplace face, her downright manners, her total absence of all self-consciousness pleased him. He found her a truly intelligent girl, and discovered in talking over her father that they knew some mutual friends.