“Excellent; she adores the boys, and the boys adore her; her letters are very educational and aesthetic. She has picked up more ‘art’ as a schoolmaster’s wife than ever she learnt as an artist’s daughter, and could, doubtless, set me right on tones and colours.”
“Cherry told me that Jack had taken to the new culture.”
“Yes, he was much amused at the development produced by house-furnishing. But double firsts have a right to vagaries. But tell me something of the Oakby world. It is a very long time since I have been there, and one does not see much of people at a wedding, though I thought Cheriton looking very well.”
“Yes, he is fairly well, very useful, and, I think, quite content. Alvar has settled into his position, and fills it well. He is indignant if he is supposed to be ignorant of anything English; and his sweet graceful wife guides him as much as ‘Fanny’ did his father thirty years ago. His one trouble is that little Gerald is as dark as all his Spanish ancestors, and even Frances is like the Seytons, but that he can forgive.”
“Does she promise to rival her aunt? What a beautiful creature Miss Lester is!”
“Splendid! and still Miss Lester, which is rather a trouble to her grandmother. Whether she will ever be Lady Milford—or whether—Any way, Nettie can keep her own counsel.”
“And now, tell me about Elderthwaite. Has Cheriton justified his experiment?”
“Yes, I think I may say that he has. He has done a great deal. No one else could have done so much good, and certainly no one would have done so little harm.”
“And the old parson is resigned to improvements?”
“Yes, but there have been fewer external changes than you would expect, or than Cherry would wish if he were his own master, or even if he could depend on himself. But of course his health has weighted him heavily, and he cannot promise perfect regularity in services or arrangements.”