Castle Hill, the Spenceley mansion, was a large, new, imposing residence of red brick, with massive stone facings. It had been the dwelling of Mr. Spenceley and his family for some six or seven years, and it was within these walls that Helena sat in captivity, and groaned alternately over the selfishness of men and the mean-spiritedness of women. On the appointed evening, Mrs. Mallory, her son, and Hugo, were driven to this mansion, and ushered into the drawing-room. It was an apartment vast in dimensions, lofty, dazzling, perfectly square, perfectly gorgeous, and more than perfectly uncomfortable. Some ten or twelve persons were collected somewhere amidst the mass of gorgeous carpet, hangings, furniture, and dazzling crystal drops which seemed to blend and combine in a determined and successful effort to crush and annihilate the human portion of the scene. Sebastian and Hugo saw Mrs. Mallory sail up to a massive-looking lady in purple satin, and white lace, and unlimited jewellery of florid design and great brilliance. This lady she greeted almost affectionately. Was she not Helena’s mother? and did not Mrs. Mallory herself regard Helena almost as a daughter? Having introduced Sebastian and Hugo, Mrs. Mallory turned to Mr. Spenceley, while the young men bowed themselves before the mistress of the house. She said she was very glad to see them. Then she told Sebastian that she had heard a great deal about him, and then she looked hurriedly around for ‘Mr. Spenceley.’ That gentleman, who had been exchanging courtesies in a loud and blatant voice with Mrs. Mallory, now began to welcome Sebastian to his native place, also in a loud and blatant manner. ‘Well, sir, I’m glad to see you. Come home just in the nick of time, you have. You’ve a grand opportunity for making your fortune now. Gad! But it’s providential, this American business! We shall get rid of some of our surplus stock now. It’ll give us a pull over our work-people too, at last; and not before we need it. The fellows were getting beyond everything, eh!’ Sebastian, his calm and serious eyes quietly scanning the strong, if coarse, under-bred face of the man before him, merely said that he was quite new to this kind of thing. He had not considered the subject in that light at all. ‘Well, I should advise you to do so as soon as possible then, or you’ll lose your chance,’ shouted Mr. Spenceley, whose voice was elevated so as to drown entirely those of the rest of the company, while his wife timidly looked on, her florid face set gravely, and her eyes round and staring with a sort of anxious attentiveness.