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"Well, now he's back, I suppose Peter will take the eldest son's place," said Dr. Mount, "and help his father manage the property."

"Yes—he told me this morning that Sir John wants him to be agent instead of Mr. Greening, and he's to live at Starvecrow."

"At Starvecrow! You'll like that—I mean, it's nice to think Peter won't have to go back and work in London. I always felt he belonged here more than Hugh."

"Yes, I don't think Hugh cared for the place very much, but Peter always did. It always seemed hard lines that he should be the second son."

"Poor Hugh," said Dr. Mount—"he was very like Peter in many ways—Sober and solid and kind-hearted; but he hadn't Peter's imagination."

"Peter's very sensitive," said Stella—"in spite of his being such a big, heavy thing."

Then she smiled, and said in her heart "Peter's mine."

§ 10

Christmas was celebrated at Conster in the manner peculiar to houses where there is no religion and no child. Tradition compelled the various members of the family to give each other presents which they did not want and to eat more food than was good for them; it also compelled them to pack unwillingly into the Wolsey car and drive to Leasan church, where they listened in quite comprehensible boredom to a sermon by brother George. Peter was able to break free from this last superstition, and took himself off to the office at Starvecrow—his family's vague feeling of unrest at his defection being compensated by the thought that there really wouldn't have been room for him in the car.