Thus Peter had grown up loving his mother, but disapproving of her, and the disapproval was sometimes more apparent than the love.
After breakfast the new squire took an early walk with his guardian, and inspected a few of the changes which had taken place in the administration of his tiny kingdom.

Though Peter was young and inexperienced, he could not be blind to the immense improvements made.
He had left a house and stables shabby and tumble-down and out of repair; rotting woodwork, worn-off paint, and missing tiles had been painfully evident.

Broken fences and hingeless gates were the rule, and not the exception, in the grounds.
Now all deficiencies had been made good by a cunning hand that had allowed no glaring newness to be visible; a hand that had matched old tiles, and patched old walls, and planted creepers, and restored an almost magical order and comfort to Peter's beautiful old house.
Where Sir Timothy's grumbling tenants had walked to the nearest brook for water, they now found pipes brought to their own cottage doors.
The home-farm, stables, yards, and cowsheds were drained and paved; fallen outbuildings replaced, uneven roads gravelled and rolled; dead trees removed, and young ones planted, shrubberies trimmed, and views long obscured once more opened out.
Peter did not need the assurances of Mr.Crawley to be aware that his inheritance would be handed back to him improved a thousand-fold.
He was astounded to find how easily John had arranged matters over which his father had grumbled and hesitated for years.

Even the dispute with the Crown had been settled by Mr.Crawley without difficulty, now that Sir Timothy's obstinacy no longer stood in the way of a reasonable compromise.
John Crewys had faithfully carried out the instructions of the will; and there were many thousands yet left of the sum placed at his disposal for the improvements of the estate; a surplus which would presently be invested for Peter's benefit, and added to that carefully tied-up capital over which Sir Timothy had given his heir no discretionary powers.
Peter spent a couple of hours walking about with John, and took an intelligent interest in all that had been done, from the roof and chimney-pots of the house, to the new cider-mill and stable fittings; but though he was civil and amiable, he expressed no particular gratitude nor admiration on his return to the hall, where his mother eagerly awaited him.
It consoled her to perceive that he was on excellent terms with his guardian, offering to accompany him in the dog-cart to Brawnton, whither John was bound, to catch the noon express to town.
"You will have him all to yourself after this," said John Crewys, smiling down upon Lady Mary during his brief farewell interview, which took place in the oriel window of the banqueting-hall, within sight, though not within hearing, of the two old sisters.

"I am sorry to take him off to Brawnton, but I could hardly refuse his company." "No, no; I am only glad you should take every opportunity of knowing him better," she said.
"And you will be happier without any divided feelings at stake," he said.