"Well, suppose you see the Brays," said Charley, whose face certainly wore a deeper hue than usual. "To be sure, Charley!" said the old gentleman, smiling. "They've been very kind, and asked me there several times, so you'll ask them all?" "Decidedly!" said the old gentleman. "We must have Max," said Charley; "for he keeps hanging about here still." "O, of course!" said Sir Philip. "And Laura, I suppose," said Charley, feeling more and more conscience-stricken. "By all means, my dear boy!" laughed the father. "And then there are the three girls, _and the governess_," said Charley. "Should you ask them?" said Sir Philip. "O yes, decidedly!" said Charley. "I'm very fond of that second girl, Nelly; she's only a child, but there's something nice and frank and open about her. She will be sure to make up for the unpleasantry of having Max." "Very good, Charley--very good!" said Sir Philip. "I wouldn't be put off with any of them," said Charley, in a curious hesitating way. "Perhaps they'll say that they had better not all come; but they can't refuse you anything, so insist upon them bringing the children and Miss Bedford." "Miss who?" said Sir Philip. "Miss Bedford--the governess," said Charley, who coughed as if something had made him husky. "I particularly wish for them all to come." "It shall be just as you like, my dear boy," said Sir Philip gaily; "only let's do the thing well, and not let them go away and find fault afterwards." Charley Vining left his father ill at ease and dissatisfied, for he felt that he was deceiving the old man; but, like many more, he crushed down the obtrusive thoughts, and, going round to the stable, he mounted his mare as soon as it could be got ready, and rode slowly and thoughtfully away. "What's come to the young governor?" said one of the stablemen. "O, the old game!" said another. "He's been betting heavy on the Derby, and lost, and the old gentleman won't pay his debts. I shouldn't be at all surprised if as soon as he comes in for the place, he'll make the money fly." "Don't think it's that," said the other. "But he never takes a bit of notice of his 'orses now; if they look well, they do, and if they don't look well, they don't; but he's never got a word to say about them. There's something wrong, safe."