The lord and master was not to arrive until the evening of the
twenty-first, the date of the ball, and most of the house party had
reached Anglemere before him. He had pleaded urgent business as an
excuse for not putting in an appearance earlier; but, beyond seeing his
lawyers and listening to their complaints at his absence, he had done
very little business, and had been cruising in the Solent to while away
the interval.
The villagers wanted to "receive" him at the station, and talked of a
"welcome" arch; but no one could find out at what hour to expect him;
and Lady Angleford, who, with native quickness, had learned a great
deal of his character in her short acquaintance with him, and was quite
aware that he disliked fuss of any kind, had discouraged the idea.
The dogcart was sent to the station to meet the six-o'clock train, on
chance, and he arrived by it, and was driven home, cheered by a few
groups of the villagers who had hung about in the hope of seeing him.
Lady Angleford met him in the hall, and they went at once to the
library.
"I can't tell you how glad I am that you have come, Drake--I suppose I
may call you Drake?" she said, holding out her hand again to him.
"You shall call me by any name that pleases you," he said, smiling at
her, and speaking very gently, for she was still in mourning, and looked
very fragile and petite.
"Thanks. And yet I am not a little nervous. I don't know how you'll
quite take the alterations I have made, whether you will think I have
been too presumptuous. I shall watch your face with an anxious eye when
I take you over the place presently."
"My only feeling is one of intense gratitude," he said; "and I can't
express my thanks and surprise that you should have taken so much
trouble. I had an idea that the place was all right, that what was good
enough for my uncle----"
She winced slightly, but smiled bravely.
"No, Drake; he was an old man, and came here but seldom; you are young,
and, I hope, will spend a great deal of time here. After all, it is your
real English home."
He nodded, but not very assentingly.
"I don't know," he said, rather moodily. "I am rather a restless mortal,
and find it difficult to settle in any one place."
"Have you been well?" she asked, as she saw his face plainly, for he had
turned to the window.