She was an apt scholar. Had there been a question of
any other young man marrying her, he would probably have thought
that no other young man could have done better.
Silverbridge was discontented with himself. The greater misfortune
was that Lady Mabel should be there. While she was present to his
father's eyes he did not know how to declare his altered wishes.
Every now and then she would say to him some little word
indicating her feelings of the absurdity of his passion. 'I
declare I don't know whether it is you or your father that Miss
Boncassen most affects,' she said. But to this and to other
similar speeches he would make no answer. She had extracted his
secret from him at Killancodlem, and might use it against him if
she pleased. In his present frame of mind he was not disposed to
joke with her on the subject.
On that second Sunday,--the Boncassens were to return to London on
the following Tuesday,--he found himself alone with Isabel's
father. The American had been brought out at his own request to
see the stables, and had been accompanied round the premises by
Silverbridge, Mr Wharton, by Isabel, and by Lady Mary.
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