Life at Edmondthorpe 



when we were all waiting in the drawing-room before dinner 

 was announced on the evening of my arrival at Edmondthorpe. 

 Certainly it was not to be wondered at that he felt proud of 

 his son to whom I was re-introduced that evening, Maunsell 

 himself looking his very best in his scarlet evening coat with 

 the Cottesmore Hunt facings. 



It is delightful to recall what a happy evening we all spent 

 together; the Hon. Hugo Hare and his wife were there 

 amongst others. All of us were attuned to gaiety, and each 

 vied with the other in making the time pass pleasantly. We 

 played several good old-fashioned round games at cards. 

 Maunsell and I sat side by side, pooled our counters, and won 

 everything before us at vingt-un. How the others laughed 

 and teased us. "They are invincible," they said, "brother 

 and sister sitting together and winning all before them." 



Alas! how little did I guess this would be the last time 

 we should ever sit side by side; that I should never again 

 hear his happy laughter ; that we should never see each other 

 again in this world. It is a glad remembrance this visit of 

 brightness and happiness, for it plainly showed how heartily 

 my brother was enjoying life, healthy amusements, and above 

 all, as keen as ever for the sport he loved best of all. 



The next day was a hunting day, and the fixture was one of 

 the best of the Cottesmore. It was arranged that I should 

 drive thither with my sister-in-law ; Maunsell, according to his 

 usual custom, preferring to ride to the meet. 



The morning broke gloriously fine, but there was a slight 

 nip of frost in the air, and a dainty sprinkling of snow ; not 

 sufficient, however, to stop hunting, and there were indications 

 that by eleven o'clock, the time fixed for the meet, every vestige 

 of snow and frost would have disappeared. This proved to 

 be the case. 



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