The moment that
the carriages were there the huntsmen had started so that there was
an excuse for hurry. Lord Rufford as he was speaking got on to his
own horse, and before the Duchess could expostulate they were away.
There was a feeling of triumph in Arabella's bosom as she told
herself that she had at any rate secured her day's hunting in spite
of such heart-breaking difficulties.
The sport was fairly good. They had twenty minutes in the morning
and a kill. Then they drew a big wood during which they ate their
lunch and drank their sherry. In the big wood they found a fox but
could not do anything with him. After that they came on a third in
a stubble field and ran him well for half an hour, when he went to
ground. It was then three o'clock; and as the days were now at the
shortest the master declined to draw again. They were then about
sixteen miles from Mistletoe, and about ten from Stamford where
Lord Rufford's horses were standing. The distance from Stamford to
Mistletoe was eight. Lord Rufford proposed that they should ride to
Stamford and then go home in a hired carriage. There seemed indeed
to be no other way of getting home without taking three tired
horses fourteen miles out of their way. Arabella made no objection
whatever to the arrangement. Lord Rufford did in truth make a
slight effort,--the slightest possible,--to induce a third person
to join their party.
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