with an only daughter, an amiable and elegant girl. She was just
budding into womanhood, when it was announced that the heir of
Coote-down would shortly become of age, and that the event was to
be celebrated with the utmost pomp. Many strange conjectures had for
years been current to account for his being kept so long away from
home; but they were partially silenced when it was known that the
young man was on his way to his paternal roof.

Extensive preparations were made for his reception: all the tenantry,
not only of Coote-down, but those from the maternal estate near
Ilfracombe, were invited to attend his debarkation at Dartmouth. The
lawn, paddock, and parks were strewed with tents for their
accommodation, and refreshments of the most expensive kind were
provided without limit. Several distinguished and noble friends of
both families were invited to join in the festivities; and though
every corner of Coote Hall, as well as the surrounding farmhouses,
were made available for sleeping-room, yet there was not a bed to
be had in Dartmouth a week before the day named in the invitations
'for love or money.' It appeared that the neglect which had been
shown to young Hardman for so many years was to be atoned by the
magnificence of the fête to celebrate his return.

Dodbury's share in managing the affairs of the family had declined
every day since Mrs Hardman's resumption of her proper position as
his patron's wife. She was a woman of strong intellect, and perfectly
able to superintend what had been before so much neglected by her
husband. She had an ambitious spirit, and Dodbury doubted not that
the grand reception-fête was organised for the purpose of carrying
out some great project connected with her son.