“But you will be home before Jane and her husband Mark come? How ever she could marry a common carpenter!”
“Yes,” said John, “he is a carpenter; but he has a vote, and that strengthens the family interest. If Dick was not gone to Amerikay, there would be three on us. But Mark is a real good Blue! A Lonnoner, indeed!—a Yellow from Lonnon beat my Lord and the Blues! Ha, ha!”
“But, John, this Mr Egerton is a Lonnoner?”
“You don’t understand things, talking such nonsense. Mr Egerton is the Blue candidate, and the Blues are the Country Party; therefore how can he be a Lonnoner? An uncommon clever, well grown, handsome young man, eh! and my young lord’s particular friend.”
Mrs Avenel sighed.
“What are you sighing and shaking your head for?”
“I was thinking of our poor, dear, dear Nora!”
“God bless her!” cried John, heartily.
There was a rustle under the boughs of the old hollow-hearted pollard tree.
“Ha! ha! Hark! I said that so loud that I have startled the ravens!”