"A look is enough for me."
"It's not enough to take away a man's character. And this talk of our being descended from John Hendle? What do you mean by that?"
"I don't mean anything particular," responded Mallien, honestly enough. "It was Leigh who put it into my head."
"The vicar. And what does he know of our family history?"
"Much more than we do. He has been scrambling through the papers in the Muniment Room at The Big House."
"Well, Rupert gave him permission to look out any documents likely to prove necessary for writing the history of the parish. You know he is writing a book."
Mallien nodded. "He found letters, written by John Hendle, which showed how much our ancestor regretted that the estates should go to Frederick Hendle."
"That is the younger son from whom Rupert is descended?"
"Exactly. He was a bad lot apparently, Leigh says. Walter, who was the eldest son and our progenitor, was killed in the Battle of Waterloo, and he seems to have been the old man's favorite. If Walter had lived, we should have inherited The Big House and the estates."
"Well, father," answered Dorinda with a shrug; "Walter didn't live, and we did not inherit the estates, so I don't see what is the use of talking."