Lady Chiltern had whispered a suspicion of the same kind, and had
expressed a hope that the lover would be worthy of the girl. And
Dolly Longstaff had chaffed his friend Popplecourt on the subject,
Popplecourt having laid himself open by indiscreet allusions to
Dolly's love for Miss Boncassen. 'Everybody can't have it as
easily arranged for him as you,--a Duke's daughter and a pot of
money without so much as the trouble of asking for it!'
'What do you know about the Duke's children?'
'That's what it is to be a lord and not to have a father.'
Popplecourt tried to show that he was disgusted; but he felt
himself all the more strongly bound to go on with the project.
It was therefore a matter of course that these should-be lovers
would be sent out of the room together. 'You'll give your arm to
Mary,' Lady Cantrip said, dropping the ceremonial prefix. Lady
Mary of course went out as she was bidden. Though everybody else
knew it, no idea of what was intended had yet come across her
mind.
The should-be lover immediately reverted to the Austrian tour,
expressing a hope that his neighbour enjoyed herself.
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