Unknown Ajax Part III

Hugo is pressed by his grandfather to spend time with Anthea, who takes him around the estate and the house. He can see the estate is very run down, and needs beter management but Anthea tells him that Lord Darracott is totally selfish and wont do anything. He is fond of Richmond but its a selfish affection, he wants to keep him at home, and wont let him do anything that he wants, except in trivial matters. Hugo feels that if Richmond would like to be a soldier, it would be good for him, rather than leading an idle life and not having a worthwhile occupation. He lets it slip to Anthea that he has a beautiful ladylove, in Yorkshire, to whom he is engaged. Anthea is taken aback, as Hugo reveals that he proposed before Waterloo, and that was 2 years ago, but he hasn't been home since then and does not know if she is waiting for him, because she is not a lady of quality and cant write. He admits that he knows that his grandfather will be furious that he is engaged to a woman of the lower orders, even if she is a beauty. Anthea and Richmond take Hugo to see RIchmond's boat, but they meet a Riding officer on the way, who is there to stop smuggling... and Hugo is shocked to find that Kent and Sussex people are not all that worried about smuggling and that most people in the area are involved in it at some level or buy the goods brought in. He can see that Ottershaw the Riding officer is very keen on his work, and it worries him that the Darracotts are so casual about the breaking of the law.