That she had expected.
The Boncassens would all come. This was signified by a note from
Isabel, which covered four sides of the paper and was full of fun.
But under her signature had been written a few words,--not in fun,--
words which Lady Mary perfectly understood. 'I wonder, I wonder, I
wonder!' Did the Duke when inviting her know anything of his
son's inclinations? Would he be made to know them now, during
this visit? And what would he say when he did know them?
That the Boncassens would come as a matter of course; but Mary had
thought that Lady Mabel would refuse. She had told Lady Mabel that
the Boncassens had been asked, and to her thinking it had not been
improbable that the young lady would be unwilling to meet her
rival at Matching. But the invitation was accepted.
But it was her brother's ready acquiescence which trouble Mary
chiefly. He wrote as though there was no doubt about the matter.
'Of course there is a deal of shooting to be done,' he said, 'and
I consider myself bound to look after it. There ought not to be
less than four guns,--particularly if Warburton is to be one of
them.
Pages:
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678
679
680
681
682
683
684
685
686
687
688
689
690
691
692
693