'They are not with me,' said Honor, quickly. 'Lucy is with her cousins, and Owen--I don't exactly know how he means to dispose of himself this vacation; but we were all to meet here.' Guessing, perhaps, that Mr. Parsons saw into her dissatisfaction, she then assumed their defence. 'There is to be a grand affair at Castle Blanch, a celebration of young Charles Charteris's marriage, and Owen and Lucy will be wanted for it.' 'Whom has he married?' 'A Miss Mendoza, an immense fortune--something in the stockbroker line. He had spent a good deal, and wanted to repair it; but they tell me she is a very handsome person, very ladylike and agreeable; and Lucy likes her greatly. I am to go to luncheon at their house to-morrow, so I shall treat you as if you were at home.' 'I should hope so,' quoth Mr. Parsons. 'Yes, or I know you would not stay here properly. I'm not alone, either. Why, where's the boy gone? I thought he was here. I have two young Fulmorts, one staying here, the other looking in from the office.' 'Fulmort!' exclaimed Mr. Parsons, with three notes of admiration at least in his voice. 'What! the distiller?' 'The enemy himself, the identical lord of gin-shops--at least his children. Did you not know that he married my next neighbour, Augusta Mervyn, and that our properties touch? He is not so bad by way of squire as he is here; and I have known his wife all my life, so we keep up all habits of good neighbourhood; and though they have brought up the elder ones very ill, they have not succeeded in spoiling this son and daughter. She is one of the very nicest girls I ever knew, and he, poor fellow, has a great deal of good in him.' 'I think I have heard William speak of a Fulmort,' said Mrs. Parsons. 'Was he at Winchester?' 'Yes; and an infinite help the influence there has been to him. I never saw any one more anxious to do right, often under great disadvantages. I shall be very glad for him to be with you. He was always intended for a clergyman, but now I am afraid there is a notion of putting him into the business; and he is here attending to it for the present, while his father and brother are abroad. I am sorry he is gone. I suppose he was seized with a fit of shyness.' However, when all the party had been to their rooms and prepared for dinner, Robert reappeared, and was asked where he had been. 'I went to dress,' he answered. 'Ah! where do you lodge? I asked Phoebe, but she said your letters went to Whittington-street.' 'There are two very good rooms at the office which my father sometimes uses.'