"I suppose you will neither of you raise any objection to the boy's coming to see me? When I declined the responsibility of looking after him, I of course did not mean he was not to come near me. Will you allow him to spend to-morrow at the Manor House?"
"Certainly, Sir Richard," Dr. Warren agreed. "You would like to go, would you not, Dick?"
"Ye-s," Dick replied doubtfully. "Didn't you want to look after me, grandfather? Well, I'm glad, because I think I'd rather be here with Aunt Mary Ann and Uncle Theophilus!"
There was an awkward pause after this very frank avowal, and Sir Richard grew almost purple with indignation. At length he exclaimed caustically,—
"It's evident you have not been brought up to have a very good opinion of your grandfather!"
"Are you angry?" Dick enquired wonderingly. "I never heard of you at all until the night mother said I was to go to England, then she told me about you!"
"And what she told you did not make you long to see me, I suppose?" sneered Sir Richard.
"She only said that you were a very lonely old man, and that I must treat you with great respect, and not be afraid of you," Dick said, looking more and more surprised as he noticed his grandfather's anger, which appeared to him quite unwarranted. "I have treated you with respect, haven't I?" he asked anxiously; "And I'm not afraid of you!" he added as an after-thought.
Sir Richard looked searchingly at the child's open countenance; then the anger slowly died from his face, and he smiled. There was something very straightforward about this grandson of his which he could not but admire; and it amused him that the boy had frankly said he felt no fear of him. A great many people were afraid of Sir Richard Gidley—afraid of rousing his temper, which was harsh and unforgiving, and afraid of the cruel, cutting tongue which was his favourite weapon, and which he never scrupled to use to his own advantage. His household trembled before him; his daughter, when she visited him, never dared cross his will in any way; the villagers stood in awe of him; but this pale-faced, delicate-looking boy stood boldly before him, and declared he was not afraid of him!
"I am not angry," he said, "or I should not want you to come and see me to-morrow. I shall send the carriage for you at twelve o'clock, and it will take you back in the evening. Will that arrangement suit you?" he enquired, turning to Miss Warren.