“I dare say.”
“I don’t know any man who is more painfully anxious about his children. He feels the responsibility so much since his wife’s death. There is Lady Mary.”
“She’s all right, I should say.”
“All right! oh yes. But when a girl is possessed of so many things—rank, beauty, intelligence, large fortune—”
“Will Lady Mary have much?”
“A large portion of her mother’s money, I should say. When all these things are joined together, a father of course feels most anxious as to their disposal.”
“I suppose she is clever.”
“Very clever,” said Lady Cantrip.
“I think a girl may be too clever, you know,” said Lord Popplecourt.
“Perhaps she may. But I know more who are too foolish. I am so much obliged to you for the photograph.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“I really did mean that you should send a man down.”
On that occasion the two young people did not see each other. Lady Mary did not come down, and Lady Cantrip lacked the courage to send for her. As it was, might it not be possible that the young man should be induced to make himself agreeable to the young lady without any further explanation? But lovemaking between young people cannot well take place unless they be brought together. There was a difficulty in bringing them together at Richmond. The Duke had indeed spoken of meeting Lord Popplecourt at dinner there;—but this was to have followed the proposition which Lady Cantrip should make to him. She could not yet make the proposition, and therefore she hardly knew how to arrange the dinner. She was obliged at last to let the wished-for lover go away without arranging anything. When the Duke should have settled his autumn plans, then an attempt must be made to induce Lord Popplecourt to travel in the same direction.
That evening Lady Cantrip said a few words to Mary respecting the proposed suitor. “There is nothing I have such a horror of as gambling,” she said.
“It is dreadful.”
“I am very glad to think that Nidderdale does not do anything of that sort.” It was perhaps on the cards that Nidderdale should do things of which she knew nothing. “I hope Silverbridge does not bet.”
“I don’t think he does.”
“There’s Lord Popplecourt—quite a young man—with everything at his own disposal, and a very large estate. Think of the evil he might do if he were given that way.”
“Does he gamble?”
“Not at all. It must be such a comfort to his mother!”
“He looks to me as though he never would do anything,” said Lady Mary. Then the subject was dropped.
It was a week after this, towards the end of July, that the Duke wrote a line to Lady Cantrip, apologising for what he had done, but explaining that he had asked Lord Popplecourt to dine at The Horns on a certain Sunday. He had, he said, been assured by Lord Cantrip that such an arrangement would be quite convenient. It was clear from his letter that he was much in earnest. Of course there was no reason why the dinner should not be eaten. Only the speciality of the invitation to Lord Popplecourt must not be so glaring that he himself should be struck by the strangeness of it. There must be a little party made up. Lord Nidderdale and his wife were therefore bidden to come down, and Silverbridge, who at first consented rather unwillingly—and Lady Mabel Grex, as to whom the Duke made a special request that she might be asked. This last invitation was sent express from Lady Mary, and included Miss Cass. So the party was made up. The careful reader will perceive that there were to be ten of them.
“Isn’t it odd papa wanting to have Lady Mabel?” Mary said to Lady Cantrip.
“Does he not know her, my dear?”
“He hardly ever spoke to her. I’ll tell you what; I expect Silverbridge is going to marry her.”
“Why shouldn’t he?”
“I don’t know why he shouldn’t. She is very beautiful, and very clever. But if so, papa must know all about it. It does seem so odd that papa of all people should turn matchmaker, or even that he should think of it.”
“So much is thrown upon him now,” said Lady Cantrip.
“Poor papa!” Then she remembered herself, and spoke with a little start. “Of course I am not thinking of myself. Arranging a marriage is very different from preventing anyone from marrying.”
“Whatever he may think to be his duty he will be sure to do it,” said the elder lady very solemnly.
Lady Mabel was surprised by the invitation, but she was not slow to accept it. “Papa will be here and will be so glad to meet you,” Lady Mary had said. Why should the Duke of Omnium wish to meet her? “Silverbridge will be here too,” Mary had gone on to say. “It is just a family party. Papa, you know, is not going anywhere; nor am I.” By all this Lady Mabel’s thoughts were much stirred, and her bosom somewhat moved. And Silverbridge also was moved by it. Of course he could not but remember that he had pledged himself to his father to ask Lady Mabel to be his wife. He had faltered since. She had been, he thought, unkind to him, or at any rate indifferent. He had surely said enough to her to make her know what he meant; and yet she had taken no trouble to meet him halfway. And then Isabel Boncassen had intervened. Now he was asked to dinner in a most unusual manner!
Of all the guests invited Lord Popplecourt was perhaps the least disturbed. He was quite alive to the honour of being noticed by the Duke of Omnium, and alive also to the flattering courtesy shown to him by Lady Cantrip. But justice would not be done him unless it were acknowledged that he had as yet flattered himself with no
