Mrs.
Stansfield had died, five years before this.

Polly, the eldest girl, aged twenty, acted as mistress of the house.

Next to her, at intervals of little more than a year, came Ralph and John; two strongly built young fellows, both fearless riders and good at all rustic games.

What supervision the farm work got was given by them.
Patsey, the second girl, was generally admitted to be the flower of the Stansfields.

She was bright, pretty, and good tempered.