At this moment Sir Evas walked in, followed by Lady Carew.
"Oh! what a fairy palace!" exclaimed her ladyship. "Where is Miss Whitburn? I've come to beg you to let me see all the fun, but I didn't expect this! My husband is coming later, but I rebelled."
Lady Carew's face was all smiles. She had never forgotten Toney's first tea-party at Aldersfield, besides the story of Toney's fortune and her coming of age was known to everyone for miles round. Toney gave one of her quick searching looks and settled that Lady Carew meant all she said.
"Well, that is nice of you! You haven't come because I've got such a heap of money! Oh dear! Uncle Evas, I do believe I see somebody arriving in the distance."
Sir Evas looked too.
"Good heavens, Toney! it's the avant garde. Much too early!"
"But you are glad they should enjoy themselves as long as possible, aren't you, and you said you wanted them to see your house, and you know—— Did you tell Mr. Diggings!"
"Tell him what, Toney?" whispered Lewis, who was prepared for a surprise.
"That the house is open to everybody to-day! Fancy, Lady Carew, ever so many of uncle's tenants have never been in the house at all! So now Uncle Evas has been awfully kind, and said Aldersfield should be thrown open, only——"
Sir Evas had hurried off.