The Raeburns were reserved towards the rest of the world, but amongst themselves there had always been a fine tradition of mutual trust; and Lord Maxwell amply deserved that at this particular moment his grandson should maintain it.
But Raeburn could not and did not flatter himself that his grandfather would, to begin with, receive his news even with toleration.

The grim satisfaction with which that note about the shooting had been despatched, was very clear in the grandson's memory.

At the same time it said much for the history of those long years during which the old man and his heir had been left to console each other for the terrible bereavements which had thrown them together, that Aldous Raeburn never for an instant feared the kind of violent outburst and opposition that other men in similar circumstances might have looked forward to.

The just living of a life-time makes a man incapable of any mere selfish handling of another's interests--a fact on which the bystander may reckon.
It was quite dark by the time he entered the large open-roofed hall of the Court.
"Is his lordship in ?" he asked of a passing footman.
"Yes, sir--in the library.

He has been asking for you, sir." Aldous turned to the right along the fine corridor lighted with Tudor windows to an inner quadrangle, and filled with Graeco-Roman statuary and sarcophagi, which made one of the principal features of the Court.
The great house was warm and scented, and the various open doors which he passed on his way to the library disclosed large fire-lit rooms, with panelling, tapestry, pictures, books everywhere.