Did
you suppose that when I said I would meet you face to face I was to
be deterred by such girl's excuses as you made? I chose to tell you
to your face that you are false, a coward, and no gentleman, and
though you had hidden yourself under the very earth I would have
found you." Then she turned round and saw Sir George Penwether
standing close to them.
Lord Rufford had seen him approaching for some time, and had made
one or two futile attempts to meet him. Arabella's back had been
turned to the house, and she had not heard the steps or observed
the direction of her companion's eyes. He came so near before he
was seen that he heard her concluding words. Then Lord Rufford with
a ghastly attempt at pleasantry introduced them. "George," he said,
"I do not think you know Miss Trefoil. Sir George Penwether; Miss
Trefoil."
The interview had been watched from the house and the husband had
been sent down by his wife to mitigate the purgatory which she knew
that her brother must be enduring. "My wife," said Sir George, "has
sent me to ask Miss Trefoil whether she will not come into lunch."
"I believe it is Lord Rufford's house," said Arabella.
"If Miss Trefoil's frame of mind will allow her to sit at table
with me I shall be proud to see her," said Lord Rufford.
"Miss Trefoil's frame of mind will not allow her to eat or to drink
with such a dastard," said she turning away in the direction of the
park gates.
Pages:
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678
679
680
681
682
683
684
685
686
687
688
689