“Ah! by the bye, is Herbert Bowater come?”
“Yes, the whole family came over to his installation in Mrs. Hornblower’s lodgings.”
“I saw him this morning, poor old Herbs,” added Frank, “looking uncommonly as if he felt himself in a strait waistcoat.”
“What, are there two curates?” demanded Cecil, in a tone of reprobation.
Julius made a gesture of assent, with a certain humorous air of deprecation, which, however, was lost upon her.
“We never let Mr. Venn have one,” continued Cecil, “except one winter when he was ill, and then not a young one. Papa says idle young clergymen are not to be encouraged.”
“I am entirely of Mr. Charnock’s opinion. But if I have exceeded the Dunstone standard, it was not willingly. Herbert Bowater is the son of some old friends of my mother’s, who wanted to keep their son near home, and made it their request that I would give him a title.”
“And the Bowaters are the great feature in the neighbourhood,” added Frank. “Herbert tells me there are wonderful designs for entertaining the brides.”
“What do they consist of?” asked Rosamond.
“All the component parts of a family,” said Frank. “The eldest daughter is a sort of sheet-anchor to my mother, as well as her own. The eldest son is at home now. He is in the army.”