He was a grey-haired comely man of
sixty, with a large body and a wonderful appetite. By many who
understood the subject he was supposed to be the best amateur judge
of wine in England. His son Lord Mistletoe was member for the
county and as the Duke had no younger sons he was supposed to be
happy at all points. Lord Mistletoe, who had a large family of his
own, lived twenty miles off,--so that the father and son could meet
pleasantly without fear of quarrelling.
During the first evening Arabella did contrive to make herself very
agreeable. She was much quieter than had been her wont when at
Mistletoe before, and though there were present two or three very
well circumstanced young men she took but little notice of them.
She went out to dinner with Sir Jeffrey Bunker, and made herself
agreeable to that old gentleman in a remarkable manner. After
dinner, something having been said of the respectable old game
called cat's cradle, she played it to perfection with Sir Jeffrey,
till her aunt thought that she must have been unaware that Sir
Jeffrey had a wife and family. She was all smiles and all
pleasantness, and seemed to want no other happiness than what the
present moment gave her. Nor did she once mention Lord Rufford's
name.
On the next morning after breakfast her aunt sent for her to come
up-stairs.
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