[CHAPTER VII.]
CASTLE BUILDING.
THE Squire's own carriage-and-four, with servants in livery, awaited the arrival of the mail, but the Squire himself proudly gathered up the reins and dashed triumphantly along the road which had not very long before been so solemnly paced by the pair of stately blacks, with their sorrowful burden of unwilling exiles.
In some mysterious manner, the news had spread, cottages were deserted, groups were gathered, cheers were ventured, and something very like a general rejoicing seized upon the village clan. Respect for the Squire and his family, however, rose with the immense satisfaction their hospitality conferred, and nothing but the remarks of a few who in the evening twilight caught a glimpse of the pale occupants of the carriage checked the universal joy.
Mr. Spadeley was especially prophetic and mingled with all his undoubted regard for the ancient family were certain arrangements in his own mind about the speedy re-opening of the tomb beneath the cedars. It would certainly be some satisfaction that on such an occasion, no hand but his own should meddle with that solemn receptacle of fallen greatness. His daughter, however, restored to her position as attendant on her beloved mistress, entertained a happier opinion.
"If anything can do her good, it is the care and kindness of Mistress Hazelwood," she said. "I never saw such a wise dear lady in my life; why, it might be her very own sister. Never you fear, father, she'll come round as sure as my name's Jane. Miss Maude looks better already, and as for Master Guy, he and Squire Hazelwood are riding together I don't know where, and actually, he speaks cheerful and pleasant like he used to do."
"Well, they deserve Christian burial, that they do," said the sexton; "they're king Solomon's one in a thousand, doing unto others as they would others should do unto them. I saw our parson just now, and he thinks as you do, Jane; so go and do your duty like a good girl, and we'll all have patience and see what's to be the end of it."
The next satisfactory event was Mistress Hazelwood driving about in a little pony-carriage with her guest by her side, calling at cottages, and looking the sweet picture of content at the warm and affectionate demonstrations of the villagers at the recovery and reappearance among them of their valued friend.
A few pleasant weeks made all the difference in restoring what the Squire persisted in declaring was only banished by London fogs, and his mental comment upon the notion of any sane person or persons wilfully encountering the same, was emphatically to the effect that whatever happened "served them right."
He and Guy, Mrs. Hazelwood and Mrs. Falconer, and the now inseparable friends Evelyn and Maude, made precisely the family party which the Squire declared essential to the proper enjoyment of the Moat; the chill, he said, was passing away, the silent passages and grim carvings no longer frightened him, and altogether, he considered his appetite was improving, and his view of life in general was more comfortable and philanthropic. The parson was always welcome to come and look after them all, and if he could supply Master Guy's brains for awhile instead of the school, he could see no objection to things remaining as they now stood, for any time that Providence pleased to allow, and for his part, he should not choose to begin the vexatious self-torment of "meeting trouble half way."