Lord Rufford felt it himself
and almost thought he might as well turn himself round and bid his
sister and Miss Penge let him go. He must marry some day and why
should not this girl do as well as any one else? The Duchess did
not approve of young ladies hunting. She certainly would not have
had her niece at Mistletoe had she expected such a performance. But
she could not find fault now. There was a feeling in her bosom
that if there were an engagement it would be cruel to cause
obstructions. She certainly could not allow a lover in her house
for her husband's niece without having official authenticated
knowledge of the respectability of the lover; but the whole thing
had come upon her so suddenly that she was at a loss what to do or
what to say. It certainly did not seem to her that Arabella was in
the least afraid of being found out in any untruth. If the girl
were about to become Lady Rufford then it would be for Lord Rufford
to decide whether or no she should hunt. Soon after this the Duke
came in and he also alluded to his niece's costume and was informed
that she was to ride one of Lord Rufford's horses. "I didn't hear
it mentioned before," said the Duke. "He'll carry Miss Trefoil
quite safely," said Lord Rufford who was at the moment standing
over a game pie on the sideboard. Then the subject was allowed to
drop.
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