“I wonder?” echoed his lordship, fascinated by the thought of this relic of forgotten days at Lacy Manor.
“Fortunately, tea does not turn bad with keeping,” said Sophy. “At least — does it?”
“I have no idea, but that we shall also see,” returned Charlbury. He began to walk about the hall, inspecting the pictures and the ornaments. “What a shame it is that this place should be left to go to ruin!” he remarked. “That is a charming Dresden group, and I have quite lost my heart to that Harlequin over there. I wonder your father would not rather prefer to hire his house to some respectable people while he is employed abroad than let it rot!”
“Well, for a great many years he allowed my aunt Clara to live here,” explained Sophy. “She was most eccentric, and kept cats, and died two years ago.”
“I don’t think she took very good care of the house,” said Charlbury, putting up his glass to inspect a landscape in a heavy gilded frame.
“No, I fear she cannot have. Never mind! Sir Horace will soon put it to rights. Meanwhile, Mathilda is to set the breakfast parlor in order, and we may sit there and be cozy presently.” She frowned slightly. “The only thing that troubles me a little is dinner,” she confided. “It does not appear to me that Mathilda has the least notion of cookery, and I must confess that I have not either. You may say that this is a trifling circumstance, but — ”
“No,” interrupted his lordship, with great firmness. “I shall say nothing of the sort! Are we dining here? Must we?”
“Oh, yes, I am sure we must make up our minds to that!” she replied. “I am not quite certain when we may expect to see Cecilia, but I hardly think she will reach us before seven o’clock, for she was gone to Richmond with my aunt, you know, and they will very likely spend the afternoon there. Are you interested in pictures? Shall I take you up to show you the Long Gallery? The best ones are hung there, I think.”
“Thank you, I should like to see them. Are you expecting Rivenhall to accompany his sister?”
“Well, I imagine he will. After all, she will hardly set forth alone, and he must surely be the person she would turn to in such a predicament. There is no saying, of course, but you may depend upon it that if Charles does not come with Cecy he will follow her swiftly. Let us go up to the gallery until tea is ready for us!”