After that Lord
Augustus saw her mother up in town and said that it was a d--
shame. He in truth had believed nothing and would have been
delighted to allow the matter to drop. But as this was not
permitted, he thought easier to take his daughter's part than to
encounter family enmity by entering the lists against her. So it
came to pass that down at Mistletoe there grew an opinion that Lord
Rufford ought to marry Arabella Trefoil.
But what should be done? The Duke was alive to the feeling that as
the girl was certainly his niece and as she was not to be regarded
as a thoroughly bad girl, some assistance was due to her from the
family. Lord Mistletoe volunteered to write to Lord Rufford; Lord
Augustus thought that his brother should have a personal interview
with his young brother peer and bring his strawberry leaves to
bear. The Duke himself suggested that the Duchess should see Lady
Penwether,--a scheme to which her Grace objected strongly, knowing
something of Lady Penwether and being sure that her strawberry
leaves would have no effect whatever on the baronet's wife. At last
it was decided that a family meeting should be held, and Lord
Augustus was absolutely summoned to meet Lord Mistletoe at the
paternal mansion.
It was now some years since Lord Augustus had been at Mistletoe. As
he had never been separated,--that is formally separated,--from his
wife he and she had been always invited there together.
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