They had already
overstaid the time at first arranged, and Lady Augustus, when she
hinted that another week at Marygold,--"just till this painful
affair was finally settled,"--would be beneficial to her, was
informed that the Connop Greens themselves were about to leave
home. Lady Augustus had reported to Mrs. Connop Green that Lord
Rufford was behaving very badly, but that the matter was still in a
"transition state." Mrs. Connop Green was very sorry, but--. So
Lady Augustus and Arabella betook themselves to Orchard Street,
being at that moment unable to enter in upon better quarters.
What a home it was,--and what a journey up to town! Arabella had
told her mother that the letter to Lord Rufford had been written
and posted, and since that hardly a word had passed between them.
When they left Marygold in the Connop Green carriage they smiled,
and shook hands, and kissed their friends in unison, and then sank
back into silence. At the station they walked up and down the
platform together for the sake of appearance, but did not speak. In
the train there were others with them and they both feigned to be
asleep. Then they were driven to their lodgings in a cab, still
speechless. It was the mother who first saw that the horror of this
if continued would be too great to be endured. "Arabella," she said
in a hoarse voice, "why don't you speak?"
"Because I've got nothing to say.
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