If Lord Rufford would speak to him, then indeed there would be no
difficulty. At last he told his wife that, if she could find an
opportunity of suggesting to the young Lord that, he might perhaps
say a word to the young lady's uncle without impropriety, if she
could do this in a light easy way, so as to run no peril of a
scene,--she might do so.
When the two duchesses and all the other ladies came out into the
drawing-room, Arabella was found upon the sofa. Of course she
became the centre of a little interest for a few minutes, and the
more so, as her aunt went up to her and made some inquiries. Had
she had any dinner? Was she less fatigued? The fact of the improper
return home in the post chaise had become generally known, and
there were some there who would have turned a very cold shoulder to
Arabella had not her aunt noticed her. Perhaps there were some who
had envied her Jack, and Lord Rufford's admiration, and even the
post chaise. But as long as her aunt countenanced her it was not
likely that any one at Mistletoe would be unkind to her. The
Duchess of Omnium did indeed remark to Lady Chiltern that she
remembered something of the same kind happening to the same girl
soon after her own marriage. As the Duchess had now been married a
great many years this was unkind,--but it was known that when the
Duchess of Omnium did dislike any one, she never scrupled to show
it.
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