"Come right in, my lord," she said. "You know you be welcome well

enough." She looked at Nell, who was blushing a little. "And all the

more welcome for the company you bring."

"Sit down, my lord; sit ye down, miss--or is it 'my lady'?" said Styles,

perfectly at ease in his unaffected pleasure at seeing them.

"This is Miss Lorton, the young lady who is rash enough to promise to be

my wife, Mrs. Styles," said Drake. "I drove over to introduce her to you,

and to show that I took your good advice to heart."

The farmer and his wife surveyed Nell for a moment, then slowly averted

their eyes out of regard for her blushes.

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"I make so bold to tell your lordship that you never did a wiser thing

in your life," said Styles quietly, and with a certain dignity; "and if

the young lady be as good as she is pretty--and if I'm anything of a

judge, I bet she be!--there's some sense in wishing your lordship and

her a long life and every happiness."

Drake held out his hand, and laughed like a boy.

"Thanks, Styles," he said. "It was worth driving out for. And I'm happy

enough, in all conscience, for the present."

"I've heard of Miss Lorton, and I've heard naught but good of her," said

Mrs. Styles, eying Nell, who had got one of the children on her knee;

"and to us as lives on the estate, miss, it's a matter of importance who

his lordship marries. It may just mean the difference between good times

or bad. Us don't want his lordship to marry a fine London lady as 'u'd

never be contented to live among us. And there be many such."

Nell fought against her shyness; indeed, she remembered the simple folk

of Shorne Mills, who talked as freely and frankly as this honest couple,

and plucked up courage.

"I'm not a fine London lady, at any rate, Mrs. Styles," she said, with a

smile. "I have lived for nearly all my life in a country village, much

farther away from London than you are; and I know very little of London

life."

"You don't say, miss!" exclaimed Mrs. Styles, much gratified.

"Oh, yes," said Nell, laughing softly. "And I could finish making this

apple pudding, if you'd let me, and boil it after I'd make it."

Mrs. Styles gazed at her in speechless admiration, and Drake laughed

with keen enjoyment of her surprise.




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