The family took a keen interest in it. George Grafton was patron of the living Abington, and the Vicar of Abington, the Reverend A. Salisbury Mercer, was known to cherish hopes that the richer living of Surley would be offered to him. In that case Grafton would have to present another Vicar to Abington, and his family did not propose to deprive him of their advice upon the subject. Also, none of them liked the Reverend A. Salisbury Mercer. "We're divided, you see, Ella," said Caroline. "We should like to get rid of Lord Salisbury, but we don't think he deserves to have Surley." "And we rather love Denis," said Beatrix. "He is frightfully solemn, and he hasn't shown any indication of loving any of us, the few times we have met him, which annoys us a little: but we're on his side, on the whole. We would keep Lord Salisbury for the sake of letting you have Denis." "Thank you very much," said Ella. "We should all have to bear our crosses, whatever happened. Mine would be Rhoda and Ethel, if Denis gets it. But, as I told you once before, I should immediately set about finding him a wife, and then they would have to go. I think they would try to stop him marrying, whoever it was, and I should enjoy myself over it. I suppose none of you would care to take the situation. I could recommend you." "I might," said Barbara, "if you'll wait till I have my hair up. I don't feel that I could love Denis passionately, but I could be a good wife to him if he didn't beat me." "Barbara darling," expostulated Miss Waterhouse. "I don't like to hear you talk in that way. It is not delicate." "I didn't mean it, Dragon dear," said Barbara. "I'm the most delicate-minded female, really." "How would it be," said Grafton, "if we presented Denis to Abington, supposing Mercer got Surley?" The suggestion was received with applause. "Really, Daddy, you're quite brilliant," said Beatrix. "Lord Salisbury would hate that more than anything, except Denis getting Surley." "Beatrix dear," said Miss Waterhouse. "I don't think you should talk as if the object of presenting one clergyman to a living were to annoy another one." "Quite right, Dragon," said Grafton. "The less we annoy the clergy the better, though they often annoy us." "You would have Rhoda and Ethel here," Ella Carruthers warned them. "Then I don't think you possibly can, Dad," said Caroline. "If you offer it to Denis you must stipulate that he pensions them off. I think that what we really want is a very nice old clergyman with white hair." "A trifle infirm," added Beatrix. "And with a nice old wife who goes about in a basket chaise," said Barbara. "Or else a very beautiful curate with a moustache, that I could fall in love with. Dragon darling, _don't_ say I oughtn't to have said that. I must fall in love sometime, you know, and it would be so good for me to begin with a clergyman."