He said
something to me about that wretched ball;--not altogether so
wretched! was it? But I didn't like what he said and told him a bit
of my mind. Now we're two for a while; and I don't care for how
long unless he comes round.
I cannot stand a funeral and I shall get away from this. I will pay
the bill and Purefoy may do the rest. I'm going for Christmas to
Surbiton's near Melton with a string of horses. Surbiton is a
bachelor, and as there will be no young ladies to interfere with me
I shall have the more time to think of you. We shall have a little
play there instead. I don't know whether it isn't the better of the
two, as if one does get sat upon, one doesn't feel so confoundedly
sheep-faced. I have been out with the hounds two or three times
since you went, as I could do no good staying with that poor fellow
and there was a time when we thought he would have pulled through.
I rode Jack one day, but he didn't carry me as well as he did you.
I think he's more of a lady's horse. If I go to Mistletoe I shall
have some horses somewhere in the neighbourhood and I'll make them
take Jack, so that you may have a chance.
I never know how to sign myself to young ladies. Suppose I say that
I am yours,
Anything you like best,
R.
This was a much nicer letter than Arabella had expected, as there
were one or two touches in it, apart from the dead man and the
horses, which she thought might lead to something,--and there was a
tone in the letter which seemed to show that he was given to
correspondence.
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