"And so you see, Sophia, we may have a strange young man in the house
for weeks, and where to put him I can't decide. And I wanted to begin
the preserving and the raspberry vinegar next week, but your father is
as thoughtless as ever was; and I am sure if Julius is like _his_ father
he'll be no blessing in a house, for I have heard your grandmother speak
in such a way of her son Tom."
"I thought uncle Tom was grandmother's favorite."
"I mean of his high temper and fine ways, and his quarrels with his
eldest brother Launcelot."
"Oh! What did they quarrel about?"
"A good many things; among the rest, about the Latriggs. There was more
than one pretty girl at Up-Hill then, and the young men all knew it. Tom
and his mother were always finger and thumb. He was her youngest boy,
and she fretted after him all her life."
"And uncle Launcelot, did she not fret for him?"
"Not so much. Launcelot was the eldest, and very set in his own way: she
couldn't order him around."
"The eldest? Then father would not have been squire of Sandal-Side if
Launcelot had lived?"
"No, indeed. Launcelot's death made a deal of difference to your father
and me. Father was very solemn and set about his brother's rights; and
even after grandfather died, he didn't like to be called 'squire' until
every hope was long gone. But I would as soon have thought of poor
Launcie coming back from the dead as of Tom's son visiting here; and it
is inconvenient right now, exceedingly so; harvesting coming on, and
preserving time, and none of the spare rooms opened since the spring
cleaning.
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