Lydia had gone south; Mrs. Penfold and Susy were paying visits to
relations; and Duddon was closed till the end of September. It was known
that Mr. Melrose had gone off on one of his curio-hunting tours; and the
new agent ruled. A whole countryside, or what was left of it in August,
settled down to watch.
* * * * *
High on the moors of Ross-shire, Lady Tatham too watched. The lodge
filled up with guests, and one charming girl succeeded another, by
Victoria's careful contrivance. None of your painted and powdered
campaigners with minds torn between the desire to "best" a rival, and
the terror of their dressmakers' bills; but the freshest, sweetest,
best-bred young women she could discover among the daughters of her
friends. Tatham was delightful with them all, patiently played golf with
them, taught them to fish, and tramped with them over the moors. And when
they said good-bye, and the motor took them to the station, Victoria
believed that he remembered them just about as much, or as little, as the
"bag" of the last shoot.
Her own feeling was curiously mixed. There were many days when she would
have liked to beat Lydia Penfold, and at all times her pride lay wounded,
bitterly wounded, at the girl's soft hands. When Harry had first confided
in her, she had been certain that no nice girl could long resist him, if
only she, Harry's mother, gave opportunities and held the lists. It would
not be necessary for her to take any active steps.
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