They then talked of other things, but Captain Hornby had not forgotten the conversation. Arcot House was now his property, at least for the term of Mrs. Ellangowan-Hornby’s lease. He saw no chance of living in it till well after the war. He felt sorry for the Beltons, and he thought it would be not disagreeable to please Elsa’s parents.
So he made an offer of the house, as we have already heard, through Mr. Updike, which the Beltons gladly accepted. No act of charity was involved, for he asked a good though reasonable rent for so well appointed a residence, but he felt a mild glow of satisfaction at having got rid of an unwanted piece of property and eased the troubles of old people (for as such he vaguely thought of Mr. and Mrs. Belton) of his own class; and he vaguely hoped that Elsa wo
