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CHAPTER XXXIII.

BARTON CASTLE.

"IF I don't mind it very much I am to kiss his hand,' was the thought that monopolised Ella's mind as the carriage passed through the lodge gates-unlocked to receive them, and closed and fastened directly they had entered and drove. through the broad avenue of oaks that led to Barton Castle. Who on earth, then, was this Mr. Edward to whose household she was about to belong, and what was the mystery in connection with him? From the gossip at Wallington she had only learnt that he was a recluse, kind and charitable to the poor, but always employing others to be his almoners; and that he lived in a sort of semi-state, though without seeing company of any kind. Her impression had been that he was an eccentric personage,

who, having taken some unreasonable disgust to society, made use of his great wealth to render him entirely independent of it. She remembered the information which the postillion had given about him on their arrival, and it now recurred to her mind that her father had on that occasion shown a considerable interest in the man's relation of the matter, as though it had in some way concerned himself. Was it possible that he was aware that her mother's sister was living in the service of Mr. Edward? In that case she did not wonder at his reticence, for she well knew, notwithstanding his openly expressed contempt for the Joscelines, he had a great deal of family pride. And again, who was this Mr. Edward to whom a woman of culture and refinement, as her aunt evidently was, could play the housekeeper without, as it seemed, any sense of humiliation?

As she came in sight of the Castle, she saw the red flag flying on its midmost tower, which, as she now remembered, betokened (as though he were a royal personage) the presence of its tenant. For the moment, her recent loss, and

the novel circumstances in which she had so suddenly and unexpectedly found herself, were lost sight of in an overmastering curiosity.

As the carriage drew up at the foot of the broad stone steps that led to the entrance of the Castle, two footmen in scarlet liveries appeared, as if jerked out by a spring, on either side of it, while a personage in sober black, but with knee-breeches, silk stockings, and shoes fastened by a silver buckle, came down to meet them.

'The groom of the chambers,' whispered Miss Burt, in answer to Ella's questioning glance, who, in her simplicity and amazement, was by no means certain that it was not His Highness himself.

This official conducted them into a noble hall, the walls of which were hung with ancestral pictures, alternating with armour and ancient weapons of all sorts. In the centre of it, as if to welcome them, stood a short thickset man in ordinary costume, except that his fingers were laden with more rings than is usual with the masculine sex. His brown hair, which was

thin and lank, stuck closely to his blonde and pudgy face, like reeds about a cream cheese, and his whole appearance would have been vulgar, as it was certainly uncomely, but for a pair of brilliant brown eyes, which by their vivacity and intelligence went far to redeem it. For all that Ella knew, this again might have been the lord of the Castle himself-it was like opening a present packed with layer after layer of paper, each of which to the curious recipient appears to be the final one-but her doubts on this point were once more dispelled by her companion, who introduced the personage in question as Mr. Heyton, His Highness's secretary.'

It did not escape Ella's natural quickness, stimulated as it was by curiosity, that her aunt's tone was stiff and frigid; moreover, she noticed that her introducer made no mention of her

being her niece. As Miss Burt's manner in other respects conveyed no sense of disparity of rank on either side, Ella justly concluded that Mr. Edward's housekeeper (if such indeed was her aunt's position at the Castle) was not on friendly terms with Mr. Edward's secretary.

Mr. Heyton's manner, on the other hand, was studiously polite and even effusive. His voice was soft and low, and he had a way of placing his white plump glistening hand on the region of his heart as he spoke, that gave a sort of dramatic earnestness to what would have been otherwise small talk.

'You have brought the sunshine with you, Miss Josceline, as indeed,' he added, with a parenthetic bow, 'might only be expected. You could scarcely have seen the Castle for the first time under more favourable circumstances.'

The park looked very beautiful as we came along,' replied Ella, scarce knowing what she said; for Mr. Heyton's keen and penetrating eyes gave her at least as much discomfort and embarrassment as did his compliment.

'It is fortunate that Barton possesses some natural beauties,' continued the secretary, 'since it has little else to interest the visitor. I am afraid after the changeful society at the Ultramarine that you will find our life here very insipid. We must, however, do our best to afford you some amusement.'