Mr.Bolton had the name of being a hard man, because, having begun life in small circumstances, he had never learned to chuck his shillings about easily; but he had, in a most liberal manner, made over the bulk of his fortune to his sons; and though he himself could rarely be got to sit at their tables, he took delight in hearing that they lived bounteously with their friends.

He had been twice married, and there now lived with him his second wife and a daughter, Hester,--a girl about sixteen years of age at the period of John Caldigate's visit to Puritan Grange, as Mr.
Bolton's house was called.

At this time Puritan Grange was not badly named; for Mrs.Bolton was a lady of stern life, and Hester Bolton was brought up with more of seclusion and religious observances than are now common in our houses.
Mr.Bolton was probably ten years older than the Squire of Folking; but circumstances had, in early life, made them fast friends.

The old Squire had owed a large sum of money to the bank, and Mr.Bolton had then been attracted by the manner in which the son had set himself to work, so that he might not be a burden on the estate.

They had been fast friends for a quarter of a century, and now the arrangement of terms between the present Squire and his son had been left to Mr.Bolton.
Mr.Bolton had, no doubt, received a very unfavourable account of the young man.