There she ruled as mistress, for her disposition was a masterful
one, and she was a notable housekeeper. The colonel gladly resigned
the reins of government into her hands. The house and surrounding
land were his; the estate whose rental enabled the household to be
maintained as befitted that of a county family, was hers; and both
would in time, unless indeed Dorothy Holliday should marry again,
go to Rupert. Should she marry again--and at the time of her
husband's death she wanted two or three years of thirty--she might
divide the estate between Rupert and any other children she might
have, she having purchased the estate with her dowry, and having
right of appointment between her children as she chose. Colonel
Holliday was quite content to leave to his daughter-in-law the
management of the Chace, while he assumed that of his grandson, on
whom he doted. The boy, young as he then was, gave every promise of
a fine and courageous disposition, and the old cavalier promised
himself that he would train him to be a soldier and a gentleman.

When the lad was eight years old, the old vicar of the little
church at the village at the gates of the Chace died, and the
living being in the colonel's gift as master of the Chace, he
appointed a young man, freshly ordained, from Oxford, who was
forthwith installed as tutor to Rupert.

Three years later, Colonel Holliday heard that a French emigre had
settled in Derby, and gave lessons in his own language and in
fencing. Rupert had already made some advance in these studies, for
Colonel Holliday, from his long residence in France, spoke the
language like a native; and now, after Mistress Dorothy's objection
having been overcome by the assurance that French and fencing were
necessary parts of a gentleman's education if he were ever to make