The Coming of the Countess of Yarborough 



brothers and myself from my grandmother, Mrs. Maunsell, we 

 learned the tidings that Lord and Lady Worsley had come 

 down to Brocklesby Hall to live there for the winter ; also that 

 her ladyship especially loved hunting, and went out with the 

 hounds every day she could get a " satisfactory " mount. 



That there were not really " satisfactory " hunters " for 

 ladies " in the Brocklesby stables is not to be wondered at, for 

 at that time no ladies of the Pelham family had ever ridden 

 to hounds. In fact, hardly any ladies hunted in those days. 

 Neither, as it proved afterwards, were there any side-saddles 

 fit for a lady to hunt upon, that is, for one who, like Lady 

 Worsley, was determined not only to see the Hounds " throw 

 off," but to ride to hounds. 



The crowning joy was, that the Christmas holidays were 

 approaching, and with what delight and anticipation we three 

 in our different places of detention were looking forward to 

 these holidays and the extra joys that hunting would possess, I 

 can hardly describe. My special and peculiar joy was that 

 Lady Worsley, whom I had already begun to worship in my 

 childish mind in an anticipatory manner, had borrowed my 

 pony, my beautiful dark chestnut, 14 hands pony, Tommy, 

 the same one that figured in the story of Maunsell's first steeple- 

 chase ; had ridden him very straight to hounds ; and had after 

 the run pronounced him a perfect mount. How well I 

 remember, too, upon my first appearance out hunting, that 

 memorable season of 1859, that Lady Worsley came up to me 

 directly she saw me in the field, and thanked me personally for 

 the loan of my pony, praising him in the kindest way, and 

 thereby capturing my childish heart. 



Perhaps a description of one of the most fascinating and 

 soundest women any one could be privileged to meet will not be 

 out of place here, for though it is from a child's point of view — 



45 



