The
Earl had insisted on Cyril's accepting a splendid horse, and behind
him, on his other animal, rode a young fellow, the son of a small
tenant on the Earl's estate, whom he had engaged as a servant. He had
written, three days before, to Mr. Popham, telling him that he would
shortly arrive, and begging him to order the two old servants of his
father, whom he had, at his request, engaged to take care of the
house to get two or three chambers in readiness for him, which could
doubtless be easily done, as he had learnt from the deed that the
furniture and all contents of the house had been included in the
gift. After putting up at the inn, he went to the lawyer's. Mr.
Popham, he found, had had a room prepared in readiness for him at his
house, but Cyril, while thanking him for so doing, said that, as Lord
Oliphant was with him, he would stay at the inn for the night.
The next morning they rode over with Mr. Popham to Upmead, which was
six miles distant from the town.
"That is the house," the lawyer said, as a fine old mansion came in
sight. "There are larger residences in the county, but few more
handsome. Indeed, it is almost too large for the estate, but, as
perhaps you know, that was at one time a good deal larger than it is
at present, for it was diminished by one of your ancestors in the
days of Elizabeth."
At the gate where they turned into the Park an arch of evergreens had
been erected.
"You don't mean to say you let them know that I was coming home?"
Cyril said, in a tone of such alarm that Lord Oliphant laughed and
Mr.
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