midday
He stopped dead short , half resolved to obey the impulse ; then , after the manner of men , he walked on again , and away from Anglemere , and , instead of returning to the house in time for lunch , found himself at one of the outlying farms . It is needless to say that he was accorded a hearty welcome . They did not fuss over him ; the Anglemere tenants were prosperous and self-respecting ; and though they regarded their lord and master as a kind of sovereign , and felt greatly honored by his presence under their roof , there was nothing servile in their attentions . Drake sat down to the midday meal with a ruddy-cheeked child on each side of him , and chatted with the farmer and his wife , the farmer eating his well-earned dinner with his usual appetite , the latter waiting on them with assiduity and perfect composure . Now and again Drake made a joke for the sake of the children , who laughed up at him with round eyes and open mouths ; he discussed the breeding and price of poultry , the rival merits of the new churns and `` separators '' with the dame , and the prospects of the coming harvest with the good man . For a wonder the farmer did not grumble . The Anglefords were good landlords ; there was no rack-renting , no ejections , and a farm falling vacant from natural causes was always eagerly tendered for .