He Knew He Was Right

family discussion about Nora’s prospects. They were all together in the gloomy sitting-room at Gregg’s Hotel, and Sir Marmaduke had not yielded. The ladies had begun to feel that it would be well not to press him to yield. Practically he had yielded. There was now no question of cursing and of so-called disinheritance. Nora was to remain in England, of course with the intention of being married to Hugh Stanbury; and the difficulty consisted in the need of an immediate home for her. It wanted now but twelve days to that on which the family were to sail from Southampton, and nothing had been settled. “If papa will allow me something ever so small, and will trust me, I will live alone in lodgings,” said Nora.

“It is the maddest thing I ever heard,” said Sir Marmaduke.

“Who would take care of you, Nora?” asked Lady Rowley.

“And who would walk about with you?” said Lucy.

“I don’t see how it would be possible to live alone like that,” said Sophie.

“Nobody would take care of me, and nobody would walk about with me, and I could live alone very well,” said Nora. “I don’t see why a young woman is to be supposed to be so absolutely helpless as all that comes to. Of course it won’t be very nice⁠—but it need not be for long.”

“Why not for long?” asked Sir Marmaduke.

“Not for very long,” said Nora.

“It does not seem to me,” said Sir Marmaduke, after a considerable pause, “that this gentleman himself is so particularly anxious for the match. I have heard no day named, and no rational proposition made.”

“Papa, that is unfair, most unfair⁠—and ungenerous.”

“Nora,” said her mother, “do not speak in that way to your father.”

“Mamma, it is unfair. Papa accuses Mr. Stanbury of being⁠—being lukewarm and untrue⁠—of not being in earnest.”

“I would rather that he were not in earnest,” said Sir Marmaduke.

“Mr. Stanbury is ready at any time,” continued Nora. “He would have the banns at once read, and marry me in three weeks⁠—if I would let him.”

“Good gracious, Nora!” exclaimed Lady Rowley.

“But I have refused to name any day, or to make any arrangement, because I did not wish to do so before papa had given his consent. That is why things are in this way. If papa will but let me take a room till I can go to Monkhams, I will have everything arranged from there. You can trust Mr. Glascock for that, and you can trust her.”

“I suppose your papa will make you some allowance,” said Lady Rowley.

“She is entitled to nothing, as she has refused to go to her proper home,” said Sir Marmaduke.

The conversation, which had now become very disagreeable, was not allowed to go any further. And it was well that it should be interrupted. They all knew that Sir Marmaduke must be brought round by degrees, and that both Nora and Lady Rowley had gone as far as was prudent at present. But all trouble on this head was suddenly ended for this evening by the entrance of the waiter with a telegram. It was addressed to Lady Rowley, and she opened it with trembling hands⁠—as ladies always do open telegrams. It was from Emily Trevelyan. “Louis is much worse. Let somebody come to me. Hugh Stanbury would be the best.”

In a few minutes they were so much disturbed that no one quite knew what should be done at once. Lady Rowley began by declaring that she would go herself. Sir Marmaduke of course pointed out that this was impossible, and suggested that he would send a lawyer. Nora professed herself ready to start immediately on the journey, but was stopped by a proposition from her sister Lucy that in that case Hugh Stanbury would of course go with her. Lady Rowley asked whether Hugh would go, and Nora asserted that he would go immediately as a matter of course. She was sure he would go, let the people at the D.R. say what they might. According to her there was always somebody at the call of the editor of the D.R. to do the work of anybody else, when anybody else wanted to go away. Sir Marmaduke shook his head, and was very uneasy. He still thought that a lawyer would be best, feeling, no doubt, that if Stanbury’s services were used on such an occasion, there must be an end of all opposition to the marriage. But before half-an-hour was over Stanbury was sent for. The boots of the hotel went off in a cab to the office of the D.R. with a note from Lady Rowley. “Dear Mr. Stanbury⁠—We have had a telegram from Emily, and want to see you, at once. Please come. We shall sit up and wait for you till you do come.⁠—E. R.”

It was very distressing to them because, let the result be what it might, it was all but impossible that Mrs. Trevelyan should be with them before they had sailed, and it was quite out of the question that they should now postpone their journey. Were Stanbury to start by the morning train on the following day, he could not reach Siena till the afternoon of the fourth day; and let the result be what it might when he arrived there, it would be out of the question that Emily Trevelyan should come back quite at once, or that she should travel at the same speed. Of course they might hear again by telegram, and also by letter; but they could not see her, or have any hand in her plans. “If anything were to happen, she might have come with us,” said Lady Rowley.

“It is out of the question,” said Sir Marmaduke gloomily. “I could not give up the places I have taken.”

“A few days more would have done it.”

“I don’t suppose she would wish to go,” said Nora. “Of course she would not take Louey there. Why should she?