.

It had never been the custom in the family. What would Ash say? What
would he think? How could so much extra trouble be given to the
servants?

"The servants have next to nothing to do," Lady Mary had said; and
young John had actually laughed, and explained that he had had a
conversation with Ash which had almost petrified that tyrant of the
household.

Either Ash would behave himself properly, and carry out orders without
grumbling, or he would be superseded. _Ash_ superseded!

This John had said with quite unruffled good humour, and with a smile
on his face, as though such an upheaval of domestic politics were the
simplest thing in the world. Though for years the insolence and the
idleness of Ash had been favourite grievances with Lady Belstone and
Miss Crewys, they were speechlessly indignant with young John.

Habit had partially inured, though it could never reconcile them, to
the appearance of that little rustic table and white cloth in Lady
Mary's favourite corner of the terrace; and though they would rather
have gone without their tea altogether than partake of it there,
they could behold her pouring it out for herself with comparative
equanimity.

"I trust you are rested, dear Mary, after your terrible long climb in
the woods this morning?"

"It has been very restful sitting here. I hope you had a pleasant
drive, Isabella?" "No; it was too hot to be pleasant. We passed
the rectory, and there was that idle doctor lolling in the canon's
verandah--keeping the poor man from his haymaking. Has the second post
come in? Any news of dear Peter?"

"None at all. You know he is not much of a correspondent, and his last
letter said he would be back in a few days."

"For my part," said Lady Belstone, "I think Peter will come home the
day he attains his majority, and not a moment before."

"He is hardly likely to stay in London through August and September,"
said Lady Mary, in rather displeased tones.

"Perhaps not in London; but there are other places besides London,"
said Miss Crewys, significantly. "We met Mrs. Hewel driving. _She_,
poor thing, does not expect to see Sarah before Christmas, if then,
from what she told us."

"She should not have let Lady Tintern adopt Sarah if she is to be for
ever regretting it. It was her own doing," said Lady Mary.

"That is just what I told her," said Lady Belstone, triumphantly.
"Though how she can be regretting such a daughter I cannot
conjecture."

"Sarah is a