He must get out of it as best he could;--but that he would
get out of it he was quite determined.
That afternoon he reached Mr. Surbiton's house, as did also Captain
Battersby, and his horses, grooms, and other belongings. When there
he received a lot of letters, and among others one from Mr.
Runciman, of the Bush, inquiring as to a certain hiring of rooms
and preparation for a dinner or dinners which had been spoken of in
reference to a final shooting decreed to take place in the
neighbourhood of Dillsborough in the last week of January. Such
things were often planned by Lord Rufford, and afterwards forgotten
or neglected. When he declared his purpose to Runciman, he had not
intended to go to Mistletoe, nor to stay so long with his friend
Surbiton. But now he almost thought that it would be better for him
to be back at Rufford Hall, where at present his sister was staying
with her husband, Sir George Penwether.
In the evening of the second or third day his old friend Tom
Surbiton said a few words to him which had the effect of sending
him back to Rufford. They had sat out the rest of the men who
formed the party and were alone in the smoking-room. "So you're
going to marry Miss Trefoil," said Tom Surbiton, who perhaps of all
his friends was the most intimate.
"Who says so?"
"I am saying so at present"
"You are not saying it on your own authority.
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