The control of the family post was one of the few
privileges Dick retained as master of the house. His simple mind still
regarded the receipt and despatch of letters as a solemn affair of life,
and every morning he went through the process of distribution with
ceremonial observance. In the morning-room they found Austin and
Viviette, the former writing in a corner, the latter reading a novel by
the French window that opened on to the terrace. Dick went up to a
table, and, opening the mail-bag, began to sort the letters into various
heaps. Austin greeted Lord Banstead none too warmly, and, with scarcely
an apology, went back to his writing. He disapproved of Banstead, who
was of a type particularly antagonistic to the young, clean, and
successful barrister. When Viviette had informed him of the youth's
presence in the garden, he had exclaimed impatiently:
"It ought to be somebody's business to go round the world occasionally
with a broom and sweep away spiders like that."
Viviette, mindful of the invective, received Lord Banstead with a smile
of amusement.
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