When the old squire died the children were taken away, and Bragton
was nearly deserted. The young heir was brought up with every
caution, and, under the auspices of his grandmother and her family,
behaved himself very unlike the old Mortons. He was educated at
Eton, after leaving which he was at once examined for Foreign
Office employment, and commenced his career with great eclat. He
had been made to understand clearly that it would be better that he
should not enter in upon his squirearchy early in life. The estate
when he came of age had already had some years to recover itself,
and as he went from capital to capital, he was quite content to
draw from it an income which enabled him to shine with peculiar
brilliance among his brethren. He had visited Bragton once since
the old squire's death, and had found the place very dull and
uninviting. He had no ambition whatever to be master of the U.R.U.;
but did look forward to a time when he might be Minister
Plenipotentiary at some foreign court.
For many years after the old man's death, Lady Ushant, who was then
a widow, was allowed to live at Bragton. She was herself childless,
and being now robbed of her great-nephews and nieces, took a little
girl to live with her, named Mary Masters. It was a very desolate
house in those days, but the old lady was careful as to the
education of the child, and did her best to make the home happy for
her.
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