Old Tester thought his mistress foolishly particular on this point, and wondered at so close a lady going to the expense of new locks, which were sent down from London, and were particularly good and expensive.
The small gate was furnished with a latch-lock as well.

This arrangement was made for Tester's convenience, so that if Mrs.Bertram and her daughters chose to be absent from home a little later than usual, he could still close the gate and go to bed.
When the girls and their brother left home that evening Catherine had not forgotten the latch-key.
"We may be late," she said, "so I will put it in my pocket." They were late, and as they approached the old gates Catherine gave the key to Mabel, who hastened to fit it into the lock of the side gate.
To her surprise it opened at a touch.
"Kate!" exclaimed the young girl, "Tester has been very careless; he has never closed the side gate." "I will call him up and speak to him now," said Catherine, who had a certain touch of her mother's imperious nature.

"He shall do it now.
Mother is always most particular about the gates, and she ought not to be disobeyed in her absence." Catherine was running across the avenue to wake old Tester when Loftus laid his hand on her arm.
"You really are too absurd, Kitty," he said.

"I simply won't allow that poor, infirm, old man to be got out of his bed for such a ridiculous reason.

Who cares whether the gates are locked, or not locked ?" "Mother cares," said Catherine, her eyes flashing.
"Now, Kate, you must use your common-sense.