"Here is an instance of toil rewarded," said Mr. Heron, promptly
improving the occasion. "The labourer is worthy of his hire; and no
doubt Sir Stephen Orme, by bringing vast tracts under the beneficent
influence of civilisation, merits the approval of his sovereign and a
substantial reward at the hands of his fellow-subjects. Let us trust
that he will use his wealth and high position for the welfare of the
heathen who rage in the land which he has--er--"
"Collared," put in Mr. Joseph, in an undertone and with a grin.
--"Added to the queen's dominions," said Mr. Heron. "I will consider
about the shares. I do not approve of speculation--the pursuit of
Mammon--but as I should use the money for charitable purposes, I may on
this occasion--"
"Better make up your mind pretty soon," remarked Joseph, with a yawn.
"There's a rush for them already."
"Now that the gentlemen have got on to business, my dear, I think we
had better retire to the drawing-room," said Mrs. Heron, with an
attempt at the "grand lady."
They returned to that apartment--Mr. Joseph did not open the door for
them--and Mrs. Heron and Isabel at once started on a series of
questions calculated to elicit all the details of Ida's past life, her
father's death and her present deplorable condition. Women can be much
more merciless than men in this kind of inquisition; and Ida, weary in
mind and body and spirit, suffered acutely under the ordeal. The two
women did not intend to be unkind--they were really sorry for the
homeless orphan; they were prepared to like her; they reluctantly and
grudgingly admired her beauty and her grace, and had a sneaking kind of
awe of her higher social position, of which they were reminded by every
word she spoke, the high-bred accent, and that indescribable air of
delicacy and refinement which indicate good birth; but they were
devoured by curiosity as to her mode of life and her friends, a
curiosity which they were too vulgar, too inconsiderate to restrain. So
poor Ida had to describe the Hall, and the servants, and the way she
managed the farm, and the way in which she rode about Herondale.
They were very much impressed, specially so when she mentioned Lord and
Lady Bannerdale's kind offer, and they exchanged glances as the titles
left Ida's lips "quite as naturally as if they were common names," as
Mrs. Heron afterwards remarked to Isabel.
"I'm afraid you'll find it very dull here, Ida," said Mrs. Heron, with
a sniff. "You won't find any society in Woodgreen; they're nearly all
city people, and there aren't many large houses--this is as large as
most--and John is very strict." She sighed; and it was evident to Ida
that though her cousin John's "religion" might be some amusement to
him, it was rather a bugbear and nuisance to his family. "But we must
get Joseph to take you about; and perhaps you and Isabel might go to a
_matinée_ or two; but John mustn't know anything about it."