‘Hurrah! jolly! jolly!’ shouted Reginald, dancing on the ottoman, ‘and mind there are lots of squibs.’
‘And that Master Reginald Mohun has a new cap and bells for the occasion,’ said Lord Rotherwood.
‘Let me make some fireworks,’ said Maurice.
‘You will begin like a noble baron of the hospitable olden time,’ said Lily.
‘It will be like the old days, when every birthday of yours was a happy day for the people at Hetherington,’ said Emily.
‘Ah! those were happy old days,’ said Lord Rotherwood, in a graver tone.
‘These are happy days, are not they?’ said Lily, smiling.
Her cousin answered with a sigh, ‘Yes, but you do not remember the old ones, Lily;’ then, after a pause, he added, ‘It was a grievous mistake to shut up the castle all these years. We have lost sight of everybody. I do not even know what has become of the Aylmers.’
‘They went to live in London,’ said Emily, ‘Aunt Robert used to write to them there.’
‘I know, I know, but where are they now?’