"Anyhow, they could afford to _entertain_ much more than they do. Mrs. Anstruther is very nice looking, and could be a leader of society if she chose, but she _seems_ to care for no one but her husband and her babies. She has a boy and a girl, very charming children, I admit, and you seldom see her without them. They have a French _bonne_ apiece, and a most _murderous_-looking person--a Mahommedan native, I believe--stalks alongside and behaves as if he would _instantly decapitate_ any person who as much as looked at them. Such a procession you never saw! Mrs. Anstruther's devotion to her husband is _too_ absurd. He is a tall, handsome man, of distinguished appearance, but on the few occasions I have spoken to him he impressed me as somewhat _taciturn_. Yet to see the way in which his wife even _looks_ at him you would imagine that he had not his equal in the world!
"I believe there is some _secret_ in their lives. Colonel Anstruther used to be in the army--he is now in command of our local yeomanry--and although his name is 'Robert,' _tout court_, I have often heard Mrs. Anstruther call him 'Jenks.' Their boy, too, is christened Robert _Jenks_ Anstruther.' Now, my dear Helen, _do_ make inquiries about them in town circles. I _particularly_ wish you to find out who is this person 'Jenks'--a most vulgar name. I am sure you will unearth something curious, because Mrs. Anstruther was a Miss Deane, daughter of the baronet, and Anstruther's people are well known in Yorkshire. There are absolutely no Jenkses connected with them on either side.
"I think I can help you by another _clue_, as a very _odd_ incident occurred at our hunt ball last week. The Anstruthers, I must tell you, usually go away for the winter, to China, or to their fabulous island. This year they remained at home, and Colonel Anstruther became M.F.H., as he is certainly a most liberal man so far as _sport_ and _charity_ are concerned.
"Well, dear, the Dodgsons--you remember the Leeds clothier people--having _contrived_ to enter county society, invited the Earl of Ventnor down for the ball. He, it seems, knew nothing about Anstruther being M.F.H., and of course Mrs. Anstruther _received_. The moment Lord Ventnor heard her name he was very angry. He said he did not care to meet her, and left for London by the next train. The Dodgsons were _awfully_ annoyed with him, and Mrs. Dodgson had the bad taste to tell Mrs, Anstruther all about it. And what do you think _she_ said--'Lord Ventnor need not have been so frightened. My husband has not brought his hunting-crop with him!'
