"Madame, I think that a £1 donation is not enough." Richard Tyxton, the registrar, said, pondering the unconventional expenses on education that he and several other wealthy farmers could afford.

"So, how much are you and the others going to donate?" Isabel, who didn't take a few pounds of money at all, said lightly. Nonchalantly, she picked up a glass of fine wine that the manservant had brought her and took a big sip.

Richard raised his head and looked at the wife-to-be of the Ripley Castle Manor, blinked twice and said categorically, "Madam, if you allow me, on behalf of the other three public registry holders, I will make a collective donation to St. Michael's Church School every year... 8 pounds. ”

"Eight pounds?!" Isabel almost spit out the wine she had swallowed in her throat and swallowed hard. He nodded reservedly, "Well, I'll allow your four families to contribute £8 a year. Also, I want to tell you that your children will not receive special care when they enter the school and will need to listen to the priest with other children from poor families. ”

"Yes, ma'am, I have no problem at all."

"Okay, it's Monday, you go talk to Pastor Eslip in the afternoon, and we'll get the kids to school tomorrow."

After the wealthy clerk left, Anne, the maid standing behind Isabel, whispered, "Madam, how can they be so rich?" Do you want to donate £2 per household per year? ”

Isabel put down her glass and turned around, smiling at the maid and said, "Annie, don't you envy them?" ”

"A little, ma'am. Unexpectedly, the farmers are getting richer and richer now. ”

"Anne, why don't I let them find a rich farmer's son to know you. You're supposed to get married, too, aren't you? ”

Baron and Mrs. Walton entered the hall with their male and female servants, and Dorothy, the maid, followed Mrs. Walton. When Isabel saw her parents coming, she stood up and saluted them. After the two of them sat down on their thrones one after another, Mrs. Walton glanced at her daughter and Mrs. Prospective Lord, who was sitting on the left, "My daughter, your father told me that you want to go hunting?" ”

Isabel leaned back in her chair with her upper body straight, looked at her mother and smiled and nodded, "Yes, Mother." It's summer, but sometimes you can go hunting. After all, those beasts have passed through the spring when they breed offspring, and we can not worry about no beasts hunting in the fall. ”

Mrs. Walton shook her head with a smile, "Daughter, I won't accuse you of the idea of going hunting. I would say that if you want to invite nobles and knights to hunt together, it is better to wait until the autumn when the beasts are fat and strong. ”

Isabel nodded, feeling as if her mother had something to say. Sure enough, Mrs. Walton, after taking a sip of the wine in her glass, stared at her again, and said, "But you have just been engaged to Sir William. Your father meant that you should go with Sir William on this summer hunt. ”

Baron Walton and his wife were creating an opportunity for their daughter and son-in-law to talk about love, and Isabel could not understand what her parents were thinking. However, she always felt that she was not so comfortable in her heart when she got engaged first or then fell in love after getting married. With his left thumb rubbing the inside of the ruby ring on his left ring finger, he couldn't help but ponder his mother's words.

Isabel rubbed her finger over the ring as she looked at her parents and said, "Yes, Mother. However, I would like to have Caroline, Euphemia and their eldest son participate in the hunt as well. Their eldest son is 6 years old this year and can start learning knighthood. ”

Baron Walton, who was sitting on the throne, stroked his beard lightly and nodded, "Okay, I agree to let Wolf and Charles follow their mother on the hunt." However, wild boars should not be easily angered. ”

"Father, don't worry, I will let people take care of the two children." As Isabel spoke, a thought flashed through her mind, "We can borrow 10 musketeers from the Duke of Richmond and hunt wild boars with arquebuses." ”

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In the afternoon, several horseback attendants and servants appeared on the road north of Kirklington in two four-wheeled carriages. The insignia on the clothes of the attendants and servants indicates that they were the family attendants and servants of the Earl of Lancashire, and the carriages driven by the servants were loaded with wooden cages containing pairs of hounds and falcons.

Soon, the team of hounds and falcons arrived in the small square of Baron Walton's estate. When the servant took one of the Earl of Lancashire's attendants to inform Baron and Lady Walton of this, Baron Walton felt a little strange and thought to himself, "Before I have distributed all the letters, the Earl of Lancashire already knows about my daughter's engagement?" ”

Mrs. Walton also felt a little strange, and looked at the Earl of Lancashire's attendant and asked, "Squire, what did Lord Lancashire tell you?" ”

"Madame, my lord said, these hounds and falcons were gifts for Miss Isabel. In addition, there is a letter from an adult to a young lady. The Earl of Lancashire's squire finished speaking, and took out a sealed letter from the letter box on his back.

"Miss...?" Baron Walton was a little dumbfounded, it seemed that the Earl of Lancashire had not yet received his letter. The baron pondered for a moment, then commanded, "Squire, I see, leave the hounds and falcons behind." ”

After saying that, he immediately commanded his manservant, "Go and tell the butler, that he may hospitably entertain Lord Lancashire's men." Also, let my daughter come to the hall. ”

In a short time, the servant led Isabel and her maid to the hall. The Earl of Lancashire's attendant, after explaining his intentions to her, presented her with both hands the Earl's letter. After the Earl of Lancashire's attendant left the hall, Isabel opened the letter written to her by the Earl of Lancashire in front of her parents.

After reading it, he handed the letter to his father, and as he returned to his seat, he smiled and said, "Father, mother, this is what I told you last time that Madame Lancashire gave me a gift in return. ”

Mrs. Walton remembered what had happened after the funeral banquet for her eldest son, and she shook her head, and as she looked at her daughter, she said, "Daughter, what I don't understand is what Lady Lancashire has to ask of you. ”

Isabel took a sip of wine from her glass and said to Mrs. Walton, "Mother, Madame Lancashire wants more sugar, spices, or other rare goods from overseas. So I told her that this matter could only be negotiated between me and her husband, Lord Lancashire. ”