Chapter 16: Robert Audley Gets His Conge

⁠​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌⁠The Christmas week was over, and one by one the country visitors dropped away from Audley Court. The fat squire and his wife abandoned the gray, tapestried chamber, and left the black-browed warriors looming from the wall to scowl upon and threaten new guests, or to glare vengefully upon vacancy. The merry girls on the second story packed, or caused to be packed, their trunks and imperials, and tu