He knows the Duke." The Duke with
the Trefoils always meant the Duke of Mayfair who was Arabella's
ducal uncle.
"Intimately?"
"Well enough to go there. There is to be a great shooting at
Mistletoe,"--Mistletoe was the Duke's place,--"in January. I got
that from him, and he can go if he likes. He won't go as it is: but
if I tell him I'm to be there, I think he will."
"What did you tell him?"
"Well;--I told him a tarradiddle of course. I made him understand
that I could be there if I pleased, and he thinks that I mean to be
there if he goes."
"But I'm sure the Duchess won't have me again."
"She might let me come."
"And what am I to do?"
"You could go to Brighton with Miss De Groat;--or what does it
matter for a fortnight? You'll get the advantage when it's done.
It's as well to have the truth out at once, mamma,--I cannot carry
on if I'm always to be stuck close to your apron-strings. There are
so many people won't have you."
"Arabella, I do think you are the most ungrateful, hard-hearted
creature that ever lived."
"Very well; I don't know what I have to be grateful about, and I
need to be hard-hearted. Of course I am hard-hearted. The thing
will be to get papa to see his brother."
"Your papa!"
"Yes; that's what I mean to try. The Duke of course would like me
to marry Lord Rufford.
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