One sentence in St. Quentin’s speech was standing out in Sydney’s mind, and repeating itself over in her head, making her deaf for the moment to all else going on around her. “I shouldn’t wonder if she makes a better hand of the landlord business than I’ve done.” Then there was something she was called upon to do in this new life, besides moving gracefully and shaking hands in the newest manner! St. Quentin had to touch her on the arm to rouse her attention to his next remark.
“Will Mr. Hudder be good enough to come forward? Miss Lisle will like to shake hands with our oldest tenant. Mr. Hudder held his farm in my grandfather’s time, Sydney,” he explained to her.
Sydney did not feel quite certain as to the proper procedure in such a case. She went forward and put her hand in the old farmer’s great brown one. “I am so pleased to meet you, Mr. Hudder.”
The old man retained the little hand, and slowly shook it up and down. “Man and boy I’ve held my farm under the Marquesses of St. Quentin, miss,” he said solemnly. “They’ve been good landlords to me, and I’ve been a good tenant to them. I’m very pleased to see you here among us, miss; though I’ll not deny but that we did hope to see his lordship there, marry and bring up a family at the old place and——”
“Bravo!” said a voice from behind the tapestry, and a gentleman, in a faultless overcoat, drew it aside and walked across the polished floor. The old farmer dropped Sydney’s hand in some confusion: the new-comer took a comprehensive glance around him through the monocle screwed into one of his rather cold blue eyes. “Hope I don’t intrude?” he inquired.
“Not at all,” said the Castle’s owner, “glad to see you.” But the smile which had been upon his face, as he watched Sydney and the old man, disappeared.
The monocle located the couch by the fire: the new visitor went towards it with outstretched hand. “Hullo, Quin, heard you got smashed up!” he remarked.
“Well, now you see for yourself,” was the dry answer.
“Awfully sorry—quite cut up about it,” he explained; “thought several times of dropping you a postcard to inquire.”