ads across from Hendon Hall consisted chiefly of paved streets.
But Lord Hampstead always did things as others would not do them. It
was too far to walk in the midday sun, and therefore he rode. There
would be no servant at Mrs. Roden's house to hold his horse, and
therefore he brought one of his own. He did not see why a man on
horseback should attract more attention at Holloway than at Hyde Park
Corner. Had he guessed the effect which he and his horse would have
had in Paradise Row he would have come by some other means.

Mrs. Roden at first received him with considerable
embarrassment,--which he probably observed, but in speaking to her
seemed not to observe. "Very hot, indeed," he said;--"too hot for
riding, as I found soon after I started. I suppose George has given
up walking for the present."

"He still walks home, I think."

"If he had declared his purpose of doing so, he'd go on though he had
sunstroke every afternoon."

"I hope he is not so obstinate as that, my lord."

"The most obstinate fellow I ever knew in my life! Though the world
were to come to an end, he'd let it come rather than change his
purpose. It's all very well for a man to keep his purpose, but he may
overdo it."

"Has he been very determined lately in anything?"

"No;--nothing particular. I haven't seen him for the last week. I
want him to come over and dine with me at Hendon one of these days.
I'm all alone there." From this Mrs. Roden learnt that Lord Hampstead
at any rate did not intend to quarrel with her son, and she learnt
also that Lady Frances was no longer staying at the Hall. "I can send
him home," continued the lord, "if he can manage to come down by the
railway or the omnibus."

"I will give him your message, my lord."

"Tell him I start on the 21st. My yacht is at Cowes, and I shall
go down there on that morning. I shall be away Heaven knows how
long;--probably for a month. Vivian will be with me, and we mean to
bask away our time in the Norway and Iceland seas, till he goes, like
an idiot that he is, to his grouse-shooting. I should like to see
George before I start. I said that I was all alone; but Vivian will
be with me. George has met him before, and as they didn't cut each
other's throats then I suppose they won't now."

"I will tell him all that," said Mrs. Roden.

Then there was a pause for a moment, after which Lord Hampstead went
on in an altered voice. "Has he said anything to you since he was at
Hendon;-