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when, as they reached the final room, she demanded to be told if that was all.
    'I fear that you are disappointed?' Lord Fordington said with a laugh.
    'Oh no!' Georgiana hastened to say, thinking she had perhaps offended him. 'It is simply that I did not know what to expect, and these are so – so bare! I think I expected lots of stones scattered about the floor, and bats flying about, and spiders and rats and things like that!'
    Diana squealed and jumped.
    'Oh, there are no rats, are there?'
    'Of course not. Would you prefer ghosts?' Ninian asked, and Diana giggled nervously.
    'Neither, thank you!' she replied, and turned to lead the way back along the passage and up the stairs into the open air.
    When everyone, all somewhat relieved, though no one except the Westerson girls confessed it, had emerged into the bright sunshine, Lord Fordington pushed the heavy door back across the entrance, which was set between two of the halfbroken walls, and secured it with a large key, saying he did not expect it to keep out ghosts but had no intention of giving accommodation to smugglers.
    * * * *
    While they had been underground the servants had brought several hampers of food and wine, and a delicious meal of cold meats, salads, pies and fruit tarts awaited them, with a pair of giggling maids to hand round the food and pack the remains away when everyone had finished. Lady Fordington, saying she had spent far too long in the hot sunshine, bore a plainly reluctant Sir Frederick back to the house with her, and the others sat about talking until Ninian organised a riotous game of hide-and-seek with the three girls. Lord Fordington, who had been very attentive to Georgiana during the al fresco meal, was deep in a discussion of agricultural matters with William, whilst Mark, commenting that the heat was excessive, persuaded Isabella to walk with him under the trees which surrounded and in places grew amongst the ruins.
    She wondered whether to convey a hint about Lydia's interest in Ninian, but it was unnecessary, for he asked her bluntly, as soon as they were out of earshot of the others, whether she thought his sister was behaving badly.
    'No, not at all,' Isabella hastened to reassure him. 'I think she is excited, as any girl would be at the apparent preference for her company shown by a handsome, wealthy young man. She is lively, but by no means too forward. I am afraid for her, though, if she thinks he is serious, because I cannot believe he is. He is too young, and probably thoughtless, and accustomed, no doubt, to the manners of London and meaningless flirtations there.'
    'Will you speak to her?'
    'I? She would not regard what I said!'
    'She would take it better from you than from me,' he replied. 'I fear she already regards me as one of the stuffy adults since my ordination, and since there is quite a difference in our ages we have never been especially close.'
    'Your mother is the person to talk to her,' Isabella pointed out.
    'Of course, and she will do what she can, but she does not wish to make it seem more important than it is. I do not want Lydia to be hurt and I would prefer to nip it in the bud before there is any great likelihood of that. I hoped a casual remark from someone she likes – oh yes, she admires you a great deal – would cause her to think. If my mother forbids him the house, or even warns her, she may very likely think herself ill-used and it would do harm rather than good.'
    Isabella promised to do what she could when an opportunity arose and they began to talk of other matters until William and Lord Fordington found them.
    'I believe there is an old cross set in the walls of the cloister,' Mark asked his host, and Lord Fordington immediately offered to show him the spot.
    'I imagine Ninian is not interested,' he commented. 'He did ask me to beg you to join in his game, though,' he added to Isabella, 'they are now in the part of the woods that extends down to the lake. William can show you if you feel