" That is what men say to themselves,
but Lord Rufford had had no opportunity of saying that to himself
in regard to Miss Trefoil. The thing had been sweet, but not
heavenly sweet; and he had never for a moment doubted the
possibility. Now at any rate he would make up his mind. But,
instead of doing so, he went to sleep, and when he got up he was
ten minutes late, and was forced, as he dressed himself, to think
of the Duke's dinner instead of Arabella Trefoil.
The Duchess before dinner submitted herself and all her troubles at
great length to the Duke, but the Duke could give her no
substantial comfort. Of course it had all been wrong. He supposed
that they ought not to have been found walking together in the dark
on Sunday afternoon. The hunting should not have been arranged
without sanction; and the return home in the hired carriage had no
doubt been highly improper. But what could he do? If the marriage
came off it would be all well. If not, this niece must not be
invited to Mistletoe again. As to speaking to Lord Rufford, he did
not quite see how he was to set about it. His own girls had been
married in so very different a fashion! He could imagine nothing so
disagreeable as to have to ask a gentleman his intentions. Parental
duty might make it necessary when a daughter had not known how to
keep her own position intact; but here there was no parental duty.
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