[CHAPTER II]
A QUESTION OF PATRONAGE
Ella Carruthers lunched at Abington Abbey on that day. The whole family were there except Young George, who was at school,—George Grafton, Caroline, Beatrix, Barbara, and Miss Waterhouse. The old Rector of Surley had been ill almost ever since the Graftons had come to live at the Abbey, and they had hardly known him. So the talk, as far as it concerned his death, was almost entirely devoted to the question of his successor.
The family took a keen interest in it. George Grafton was patron of the living Abington, and the Vicar of Abington, the Reverend A. Salisbury Mercer, was known to cherish hopes that the richer living of Surley would be offered to him. In that case Grafton would have to present another Vicar to Abington, and his family did not propose to deprive him of their advice upon the subject. Also, none of them liked the Reverend A. Salisbury Mercer.
"We're divided, you see, Ella," said Caroline. "We should like to get rid of Lord Salisbury, but we don't think he deserves to have Surley."
"And we rather love Denis," said Beatrix. "He is frightfully solemn, and he hasn't shown any indication of loving any of us, the few times we have met him, which annoys us a little: but we're on his side, on the whole. We would keep Lord Salisbury for the sake of letting you have Denis."
"Thank you very much," said Ella. "We should all have to bear our crosses, whatever happened. Mine would be Rhoda and Ethel, if Denis gets it. But, as I told you once before, I should immediately set about finding him a wife, and then they would have to go. I think they would try to stop him marrying, whoever it was, and I should enjoy myself over it. I suppose none of you would care to take the situation. I could recommend you."
"I might," said Barbara, "if you'll wait till I have my hair up. I don't feel that I could love Denis passionately, but I could be a good wife to him if he didn't beat me."
"Barbara darling," expostulated Miss Waterhouse. "I don't like to hear you talk in that way. It is not delicate."
"I didn't mean it, Dragon dear," said Barbara. "I'm the most delicate-minded female, really."