Lady Mabel had been dismissed from the front door on her
journey, and there could be no doubt as to the 'her' intended. No
such question would have been asked had not Silverbridge himself
declared to his father his purpose of making Lady Mabel his wife.
On that subject the Duke, without such authority, would not have
interfered. But he had been consulted, had acceded, and had
encouraged the idea by excessive liberality on his part. He had
never dropped it out of his mind for a moment. But when he found
that the girl was leaving his house without any explanation, then
he became restless and inquisitive.
They say that perfect love casteth out fear. If it be so the love
of children to their parents is seldom altogether perfect,--and
perhaps had better not be quite perfect. With this young man it
was not that he feared anything which his father could do to him,
that he believed that in consequence of his declaration which he
had to make his comforts and pleasures would be curtailed, or his
independence diminished. But he feared that he would make his
father unhappy, and he was conscious that he had so often sinned
in that way.
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