It was
pleasant to see so many poor families enjoying their excellent
dinner; but perhaps the pleasantest sight was the lord of the feast
speaking to each poor man with all his bright good-natured
cordiality. Mr. Mohun was surprised to see how well he knew them
all, considering how short a time he had been among them, and Lilias
found Florence rise in her estimation, when she perceived that the
inside of the Hetherington cottages were not unknown to her.
'Do you know, Florence,' said she, as they walked back to the house
together, 'I did you great injustice? I never expected you to know
or care about poor people.'
'No more I did till this winter,' said Florence; 'I could not do
anything, you know, before. Indeed, I do not do much now, only
Rotherwood has made me go into the school now and then; and when
first we came, he made it his especial request that whenever a poor
woman came to ask for anything I would go and speak to her. And so I
could not help being interested about those I knew.'
'How odd it is that we never talked about it,' said Lily.
'I never talk of it,' said Florence, 'because mamma never likes to
hear of my going into cottages with Rotherwood.
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