Was her maid to go with her? No. She would be back soon, and
her maid would wait there till she had returned.
CHAPTER XIII
In the Park
This thing that she was doing required an infinite amount of
pluck,--of that sort of hardihood which we may not quite call
courage, but which in a world well provided with policemen is
infinitely more useful than courage. Lord Rufford himself was
endowed with all the ordinary bravery of an Englishman, but he
could have flown as soon as run into a lion's den as Arabella was
doing. She had learned that Lady Penwether and Miss Penge were both
at Rufford Hall, and understood well the difficulty there would be
in explaining her conduct should she find herself in their
presence. And there were all the servants there to stare at her,
and the probability that she might be shown to the door and told
that no one there would speak to her. She saw it all before her,
and knew how bitter it might be; but her heart was big enough to
carry her through it. She was dressed very simply, but still by no
means dowdily, in a black silk dress, and though she wore a thick
veil when she got out of the fly and rang the door bell, she had
been at some pains with her hair before she left the inn. Her
purpose was revenge; but still she had an eye to the possible
chance,--the chance barely possible of bringing the man to submit.
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