It stands not in a park, for the land
about it is divided into paddocks by low stone walls, but in the
midst of lovely scenery, the ground rising all round it in low
irregular hills or fells, and close to it, a quarter of a mile
from the back of the house, there is a small dark lake, not
serenely lovely as are some of the lakes in Westmoreland, but
attractive by the darkness of its waters and the gloom of the
woods around it.
This is the country seat of Earl Grex,--which however he had not
visited for some years. Gradually the place had got into such a
condition in his absence was not surprising. An owner of Grex,
with large means at his disposal and with a taste for the
picturesque to gratify,--one who could afford to pay for memories
and who was willing to pay dearly for such luxuries, might no
doubt restore Grex, but the Earl had neither the money nor the
taste.
Lord Grex had latterly never gone near the place, nor was his son
Lord Percival fond of looking upon the ruin of his property. But
Lady Mabel loved it with a fond love.
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