The String of Pearls (1850), p. 604

"Ah! my dear friend," she cried, when she saw who it was. "I am so glad to see you!"
"And I am equally glad to see you," said Sir Richard, "particularly as you look so well and so happy."
"Yes, I am happy. Mark! Mark! here is Sir Richard come to breakfast with us."
"Nay, I did not think of dismounting."
"Oh, but you must. I will hold the bridle of the horse, and you will have to ride over me if you attempt to go away. Mark—Mark! where are you!"
Upon these repeated calls, Mark Ingestrie make his appearance at the door, and looked pleased enough to see Sir Richard, who, finding that they would take no sort of denial, he felt that he could not do otherwise than dismount and enter the house. A servant of the Ingestries took charge of his horse, and he was soon in the breakfast-room of the pretty house, inhabited by the young couple.
It did not escape the observation of Johanna that there was a cloud of seriousness upon the countenance of Sir Richard Blunt; but she did not make any remark, although each moment she felt more and more convinced that it was some matter of business that called the magistrate to their abode so early; for it will be remembered that although he had transacted a good quantity of business, the day was yet very young.
Mark Ingestrie did not appear to have any idea beyond the fact that it was very kind of the magistrate to visit them; but the reader will easily excuse him for not being so acute an observer as Johanna.
"I hope," said Mark, "that you will often take a canter over here, Sir Richard, before the business of the day commences, and breakfast with us. I know how very hopeless it is to expect you often at any other time."
"It is rather so," replied Sir Richard, "and my stay now must be very limited indeed. How do you both like your new house?"
"It is charming," said Johanna, "and the view from the windows is full of animation for the greater part of the day."
"It's the view in-doors," smiled Mark, "that to me is so delightful and so full of animation."
"That is just what I should have supposed," said the magistrate, glancing at Johanna with a smile.
"Now, positively, I must go and take my breakfast in some other room," said Johanna, "if there are to be any compliments. They are quite absurd, you know, among married folks."
"And a little unfair," said Sir Richard, "at meal times, I think, above all others."
"Indeed?" said Mark.
"Yes, to be sure," added Johanna, "for you know one is either obliged to hear the compliments, which feed no one but with false viands, or leave the table upon which there may be something much more substantial and decidedly more palatable."
"I give in," said Mark. " I give in. I don't for one moment profess to be a match for you alone, my dear; but when you get Sir Richard to side with you, I feel that I had better say as little as possible."
"A graceful defeat," said Sir Richard, "is almost as good as a clumsy victory."
"Much better," said Johanna, "a great deal better. But now, Sir Richard, you have not ridden over here to help us at our breakfast, or to talk badinage."
Mark opened his eyes very wide indeed, and looked from Johanna to the magistrate, and from the magistrate to Johanna, with evident surprise. An expression of great anxiety was each moment gathering over the face of Johanna which Sir Richard saw, and with all that tact which with him was a kind of second nature, he said—
"I have had the pleasure of seeing your father this morning, and they are all well at the old house, and as comfortable as can be."