"Mother!" cried four indignant voices.
"Well, darlings, you see the landlord has only given you permission to make use of it while York House was untenanted."
"We don't want them to come and take away our medder," said Elsie, plaintively.
"Oh, well," said Ronnie, "I 'spect as we're all cousins, we shall play there together. That'll be fine fun."
But a troubled look came into the mother's eyes at his words.
"I don't want to disappoint you, dears," she made reply; "but I'm afraid your Aunt Mary may not care for you to be too friendly. However, we shall see. Now run and play in the meadow, and make the most of your opportunities."
Away scampered the children, and Mrs. Rose was left to her own reflections, which, to judge by her expression, were not altogether pleasing ones.
Once and once only had she met Mrs. Wilfrid, and the memory of that meeting gave her no cause for pleasure.
The two brothers, Gilbert and Wilfrid, who were married about the same time, were wide apart in many respects. Gilbert Rose had early chosen the "better part," but Wilfrid's overmastering characteristic was worldly ambition. The latter gave his father great satisfaction by his marriage with the grand-daughter of an earl, a lady who was possessed of both beauty and fortune. For a time all went well with the young couple, and by Sir Matthew's desire they took up their abode at The Towers, as the baronet's residence was named. Gilbert was forbidden to cross the threshold; and Wilfrid, to further enhance his own prospects, helped to poison his father's mind against his elder brother.
These facts came to Gilbert's knowledge, and gave him considerable pain, but nothing he could do or say had any power to counteract his brother's influence.