You and I are such old friends that you won't mind me showing that I am proud of him, eh ?" and he laid his hand on Stafford's shoulder with an air of pride and affection.
"What a lovely place Sir Stephen has made of this, Mr.Orme," said Lady Clansford; "we were quite startled as we drove up, and simply bewildered when we got inside.

This room is really--oh well, I'm beggared for adjectives!" Stafford went about, listening to the encomiums on his father or the house, and making appropriate responses; but he was rather relieved when the butler announced dinner.
The dining-room received its meed of praise from the guests, and the elaborate _menu_ caused some of the men to beam with inward satisfaction.

It was a superb dinner, served with a stateliness which could not have been exceeded if royalty had been amongst the guests.
The plate was magnificent, the flowers arranged by an artist's hand, in rich and yet chaste abundance.

Stafford, as he looked from the bottom of the table to Sir Stephen at the head, felt with a thrill of pride that his father was the most distinguished-looking man of them all; and he noticed that in the tone of both the men and the women who addressed him there was that subtle note which indicates respect and the consideration which men and women of the world pay to one who has achieved greatness.
And yet, he noticed also, that not one of them was more perfectly at his ease than Sir Stephen, who laughed and talked as if his only aim was that of enjoyment, and as if he had never "planned a plan or schemed a scheme." Every now and then Stafford caught his father's eye, and each time he did so, Sir Stephen smiled at him with that air of pride and affection which he made no attempt to conceal or check.

Once or twice Howard, too, caught his eye and smiled significantly as if he were saying, "How is this for a successful party ?" The dinner went swimmingly, and when the ladies had retired Sir Stephen begged the men to close up, and passed the wine freely.