"Come right in, my lord," she said. "You know you be welcome well
enough." She looked at Nell, who was blushing a little. "And all the
more welcome for the company you bring."
"Sit down, my lord; sit ye down, miss--or is it 'my lady'?" said Styles,
perfectly at ease in his unaffected pleasure at seeing them.
"This is Miss Lorton, the young lady who is rash enough to promise to be
my wife, Mrs. Styles," said Drake. "I drove over to introduce her to you,
and to show that I took your good advice to heart."
The farmer and his wife surveyed Nell for a moment, then slowly averted
their eyes out of regard for her blushes.
"I make so bold to tell your lordship that you never did a wiser thing
in your life," said Styles quietly, and with a certain dignity; "and if
the young lady be as good as she is pretty--and if I'm anything of a
judge, I bet she be!--there's some sense in wishing your lordship and
her a long life and every happiness."
Drake held out his hand, and laughed like a boy.
"Thanks, Styles," he said. "It was worth driving out for. And I'm happy
enough, in all conscience, for the present."
"I've heard of Miss Lorton, and I've heard naught but good of her," said
Mrs. Styles, eying Nell, who had got one of the children on her knee;
"and to us as lives on the estate, miss, it's a matter of importance who
his lordship marries. It may just mean the difference between good times
or bad. Us don't want his lordship to marry a fine London lady as 'u'd
never be contented to live among us. And there be many such."
Nell fought against her shyness; indeed, she remembered the simple folk
of Shorne Mills, who talked as freely and frankly as this honest couple,
and plucked up courage.
"I'm not a fine London lady, at any rate, Mrs. Styles," she said, with a
smile. "I have lived for nearly all my life in a country village, much
farther away from London than you are; and I know very little of London
life."
"You don't say, miss!" exclaimed Mrs. Styles, much gratified.
"Oh, yes," said Nell, laughing softly. "And I could finish making this
apple pudding, if you'd let me, and boil it after I'd make it."
Mrs. Styles gazed at her in speechless admiration, and Drake laughed
with keen enjoyment of her surprise.