Lord Rufford when he received the above very ardent epistle was quite aware that he had better not go to Mistletoe.  He understood the matter nearly as well as Arabella did herself.  But there was a feeling with him that up to that stage of the affair he ought to do what he was asked by a young lady, even though there might be danger.  Though there was danger there would still be amusement.  He therefore wrote again as follows: 

Letter No. 5.

Dear Miss Trefoil,

You shan’t be disappointed whether it be Jack or any less useful animal that you wish to see.  At any rate Jack,—­and the other animal,—­will be at Mistletoe on the 15th.  I have written to the Duke by this post.  I can only hope that you will be grateful.  After all your abuse about my getting back my money I think you ought to be very grateful.  I have got it back again, but I can assure you that has had nothing to do with it. 
Yours ever,
R.

P.S.  We had two miserably abortive days last week.

Arabella felt that a great deal of the compliment was taken away by the postscript; but still she was grateful and contented.

CHAPTER V

“It is a long Way”

While the correspondence given in the last chapter was going on Miss Trefoil had other troubles besides those there narrated, and other letters to answer.  Soon after her departure from Rufford she received a very serious but still an affectionate epistle from John Morton in which he asked her if it was her intention to become his wife or not.  The letter was very long as well as very serious and need not be given here at length.  But that was the gist of it; and he went on to say that in regard to money he had made the most liberal proposition in his power, that he must decline to have any further communication with lawyers, and that he must ask her to let him know at once,—­quite at once,—­whether she did or did not regard herself as engaged to him.  It was a manly letter and ended by a declaration that as far as he himself was concerned his feelings were not at all altered.  This she received while staying at the Gores’, but, in accordance with her predetermined strategy, did not at once send any answer to it.  Before she heard again from Morton she had received that pleasant first letter from Lord Rufford, and was certainly then in no frame of mind to assure Mr. Morton that she was ready to declare herself his affianced wife before all the world.  Then, after ten days, he had written to her again and had written much more severely.  It wanted at that time but a few days to Christmas, and she was waiting for a second letter from Lord Rufford.  Let what might come of it she could not now give up the Rufford chance.  As she sat thinking of it, giving the very best of her mind to it, she remembered the warmth of that embrace in the little room behind the drawing-room, and those halcyon minutes in which her head had been on his shoulder,