Miss Riddell knew very well that this sentence might have been read, "with my boy I cannot be too particular;" and she was herself concerned at the report of the new-comers, though, being a woman of a kindly heart, she thought with interest and pity of the handsome girls, with their bad style--the result evidently of a bad training. "I must go and call--of course," she said. "Oh, of course--and I hope you and the Rector will come to meet them, we must have a dinner-party for them as soon as possible. Besides, it is time that Lucian came forward a little, if he is so shy when he goes back to Lancashire, he will make no way at all in his own county." Miss Riddell's reply was forestalled by the entrance of the subject of this remark, who came up and shook hands with her cordially, but with something of the stiff politeness of a well-bred school-boy. "Ah, you hear what I say, Lucian," said his mother, "there are several things in store for you, which I do not mean to let you shirk in your usual fashion." "But I don't want to shirk, if you are asking the Rector and Miss Riddell to dinner," said the young man. "I'm very glad to see you back again, Miss Riddell; and if I must take in this formidable Lady Haredale, you'll sit on the other side--won't you?--and help me to talk to her?" "I fancy from what I hear that you won't find that difficult," said Miss Riddell, "or disagreeable; but, if you like, I will report on her after my first visit." "Ah, thanks--give me the map of the country beforehand. Syl coming down this Easter?" "I think so, for a week or two," said Miss Riddell, as she took her leave. "Come some day soon, and see my Italian photographs; you know you are always welcome." "I will," said Lucian; "the mother can't say I shirk coming to see you." "No, Lucian, I have no fault to find with you. You know I always take your part. Good-bye for the present." Miss Riddell watched him as he walked away down the garden whistling to his dog--a tall fair youth, handsome as a young Greek, possessing indeed a kind of ideal beauty, that seemed almost out of character in the simple good-hearted boy who loved nothing so well as dogs and horses, liked to spend all his days in the roughest of shooting-coats, was too shy to enjoy balls and garden-parties (since he had never found out that he might have been the most popular of partners), and except on the simplest topics, in the home circle, or with his old friend Sylvester Riddell, never seemed to have anything to say. He was not clever, and cared little for intellectual interests, but he had managed to get himself decently through the Schools, and never seemed to have found it difficult to behave well. His mother often declared herself disappointed that he did not make more of himself; but Miss Riddell wondered if there was much more to make.