He was going in
order that he might be rid of that trouble, and a man's feelings in
such circumstances cannot be satisfactory to himself. However he
had said that he would go, and he knew enough of himself to be
certain that having said so he would not alter his mind. But he was
very melancholy and Mrs. Hopkins declared to old Mrs. Twentyman
that the young squire was "hipped,"--"along of his lady love," as
she thought.
His hands had been so full of his visitors when at Bragton before,
and he had been carried off so suddenly to Rufford, and then had
hurried up to London in such misery, that he had hardly had time to
attend to his own business. Mr. Masters had made a claim upon him
since he had been in England for 127l. 8s. 4d in reference to
certain long-gone affairs in which the attorney declared he had
been badly treated by those who had administered the Morton estate.
John Morton had promised to look into the matter and to see Mr.
Masters. He had partially looked into it and now felt ashamed that
he had not fully kept his promise. The old attorney had not had
much hope of getting his money. It was doubtful to himself whether
he could make good his claim against the Squire at law, and it was
his settled purpose to make no such attempt although he was quite
sure that the money was his due. Indeed if Mr.
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