It had only been a question of when the new Marquis would come back to his home.
He would, they thought, reorganise the lives of the villagers as his father and grandfather had done before him.
Practically every man and woman worked in some capacity on the estate or in the ‘Big House’ as had always happened in so many villages throughout the country.
After six months had passed everybody began to be even more apprehensive.
And they asked nervously what was going on at Meldon Hall.
First of all, there was no sign of the Marquis.
Then Mr. Cranley, who had been the Manager in charge of the house and the estate for years, began to give the workers notice to leave.
“What’s ’appening? Why be us sent away?” they asked him indignantly.
Because it was so traditional, their fathers, their gr
