"Oh, I think it's delightful! Mamma, you didn't tell me it was half so nice," the girl exclaimed. And as they passed through the lodge gates and up the long and rather steep drive, her face grew increasingly radiant. "What a dear old house! I should love to explore it from top to bottom," she said. "I do hope the girls won't be out. I am longing so to see them. Of course, they can't be looking out for us, as we have come so much too early." CHAPTER FOUR. AS ILL-LUCK WOULD HAVE IT. Major Winchester did not reply. He appeared engrossed with Paddy, for as Imogen uttered the last words, they had driven to the front of the house, and he was preparing to draw up. "I don't quite know how best to manage," he said, after a moment or two, glancing round him doubtfully. "Paddy has been very good, so far; but he will probably begin now to be fidgety, and to long for his stable. So I must not get down to ring. Can--?" "Oh yes," said the girl, starting up as she spoke, and very nearly precipitating herself to the ground, "I'll jump down in an instant." "Get down, please, but don't talk of jumping. There now, very cautiously. It needs an apprenticeship to get out and in of vehicles like this. Yes, that is the bell, the chain at your right;" and a ponderous resounding clang told that Miss Wentworth's vigorous pull had taken effect. Imogen looked round half alarmed. "What a noise!" she said. It was not too quickly responded to, nevertheless, and when a footman at last made his appearance, he raised his eyebrows with an expression of surprised inquiry, which would not have conduced to the two ladies' equanimity had they been alone and unprotected by Major Winchester's presence. "Quick, Thomas," he said, with a touch of imperiousness. "Call some one, or catch hold of his head yourself. Don't you see the horse won't stand, and the lady has to get down?" Thomas bestirred himself to the extent of hallooing to an assistant gardener, who happened to be passing; then, when Paddy's impatience was perforce calmed, he himself condescended to approach the back of the cart in a gingerly fashion. But Major Winchester was before him. "I will help Mrs Wentworth down," he said. "Go at once and tell your mistress, or--or Miss Florence--no, unluckily, she's out--Miss Helmont, if you can find her, that Mrs and Miss Wentworth have arrived by an earlier train. And tell Brewer to speak to me before he goes to the station; there's some luggage to come up." Most of The Fells domestics liked "the Major," as he was dubbed in the servants' hall; but Thomas, lazy and conceited, was an exception. He disappeared, however, as he was told, but not without some inaudible mutterings.