He might have his friends at Scroope Manor,--Carnaby and all the rest of them.

Every allurement was offered to him.

But he had commenced by claiming a year of grace, and to that claim he adhered.
Could his uncle have brought himself to make the request in person, at first, he might probably have succeeded;--and had he succeeded, there would have been no story for us as to the fortunes of Scroope Manor.

But the Earl was too proud and perhaps too diffident to make the attempt.
From his wife he heard all that took place; and though he was grieved, he expressed no anger.

He could not feel himself justified in expressing anger because his nephew chose to remain for yet a year attached to his profession.