"They are so heavenly sweet!" she said with a smile of sensuous pleasure. "They smell like Paradise, Father." "Ay, herbs are good and healthy. The smell of them makes me hungry. I didn't see thee last night, Kitty; and I wanted to see thee." "I was so tired, Father. It was a day to tire any one. Was it not?" "I should say it was," he replied with conscious diplomacy. "Now what part of it pleased thee best?" "Well, Mr. North's visit was of course wonderful; and Lord Exham's visit was very pleasant. I enjoyed both; but Mr. North's news was so very surprising." "To be sure. What dost thou think of it?" "Of course, Edgar is on the other side, Father. In some respects that is a pity." "It is a shame! It is a great shame!" "Nay, nay, Father! We won't have 'shame' mixed up with Edgar. He is in dead earnest, and he has taken luck with him. Just think of our Edgar being one of Lord Durham's favourites, of him speaking all over England and Scotland for Reform. Mr. North says there is no one like him in the drawing-rooms of the Reform ladies; and no one like him on the Reform platforms; and he was made a member of the new Reform Club in London by acclamation. And Earl Grey will get him a seat in Parliament next election." "Who is this Mr. North?" "Why, Father! You heard him speak, and you 'threw' him down on the Green, you know." "_Oh! Him!_ Dost thou believe all this palaver on the word of a travelling mountebank?" "He is not a travelling mountebank. I am sure he is a gentleman. You shouldn't call a man names that you have 'thrown' fairly. You know better than that." "I know nothing about the lad. And he does not seem to have told thee anything about himself. As for thy mother--" and then he hesitated, and looked at Kate meaningly and inquiringly. "Mother liked him. She liked him very much indeed. He brought both mother and me a ring from Edgar," and she put out her hand and showed the Squire the little gold circle. "Trumpery rubbish!" he said scornfully. "It didn't cost half a crown. Give it to me, and I will get thee a ring worth wearing,--sapphires or rubies." "I would not part with it for loops and hoops of sapphires and rubies. Edgar sent it as a love-token; he wants his money for nobler things than rubies--but, dear me! you can't buy love for any money. Oh, Father! I do wish you would be friends with Edgar."