The afternoon of the day on which Lord Hollingford called Roger
was going upstairs, three steps at a time, when, at a turn on the
landing, he encountered his father. It was the first time he had seen
him since their conversation about the Towers' invitation to dinner.
The Squire stopped his son by standing right in the middle of the
passage.
"Thou'rt going to meet the mounseer, my lad?" said he, half as
affirmation, half as question.
"No, sir; I sent off James almost immediately with a note declining
it. I don't care about it--that's to say, not to signify."
"Why did you take me up so sharp, Roger?" said his father pettishly.
"You all take me up so hastily now-a-days. I think it's hard when a
man mustn't be allowed a bit of crossness when he's tired and heavy
at heart--that I do."
"But, father, I should never like to go to a house where they had
slighted you."
"Nay, nay, lad," said the Squire, brightening up a little; "I think
I slighted them. They asked me to dinner, after my lord was made
lieutenant, time after time, but I never would go near 'em. I call
that my slighting them."
And no more was said at the time; but the next day the Squire again
stopped Roger.
"I've been making Jem try on his livery-coat that he hasn't worn this
three or four years,--he's got too stout for it now."
"Well, he needn't wear it, need he? and Morgan's lad will be glad
enough of it,--he's sadly in want of clothes."
"Ay, ay; but who's to go with you when you call at the Towers? It's
but polite to call after Lord What's-his-name has taken the trouble
to come here; and I shouldn't like you to go without a groom."
"My dear father! I shouldn't know what to do with a man riding at my
back. I can find my way to the stable-yard for myself, or there'll be
some man about to take my horse. Don't trouble yourself about that."
"Well, you're not Osborne, to be sure. Perhaps it won't strike 'em
as strange for you. But you must look up, and hold your own, and
remember you're one of the Hamleys, who've been on the same land for
hundreds of years, while they're but trumpery Whig folk who only came
into the county in Queen Anne's time."