Tom began to think less of her again, and more of his patron and friend; being, as may have already been gleaned, a youth of impressionable nature, easily moulded by the character of his associates, although not without a latent firmness of will which might develop into sterling metal in time, though, perhaps, not until the admixture of dross had been purged away by the action of the furnace of trial.
All London was now agog over the return of the victor of Blenheim.
The great Duke of Marlborough had been upon his way home for some time.

In the middle of December he reached London, and took his seat in the House of Lords; and it was said that early in the next year there would be a monstrous fine procession from the Tower to Westminster, in which all the trophies of war would be solemnly paraded.
Tom was as excited as anybody over all this, and as eager to obtain sight of the great Duke.

Lord Claud had promised that he should not only see him, but be one of the same company at some fine house where he would show himself.

Tom had often been to grand enough houses already with his friend; but it seemed to him overmuch to suppose that he could be introduced into any company of which the Duke of Marlborough was to be a member.
Lord Claud, however, was not given to vain boasting.

The open-house festivities of Christmas were approaching.