‘But he is a younger son.’

‘I don’t know anything about it,’ said Silverbridge,’ but as he has asked me to go I think I ought to do it.’  The Duke, who was by no means the man to make light of the political obligations of friendship, raised no objection.

’I wish that something could have been arranged between you and Mabel before you went.’  The young man stood in the gloom of the dark room aghast.  This was certainly not the moment for explaining everything to his father.  ’I have set my heart very much upon it, and you ought to be gratified by knowing that I quite approve your choice.’

All that had been years ago,—­in last June,—­before Mrs Montacute Jones’s garden-party, before that day in the rain at Maidenhead, before the brightness of Killancodlem, before the glories of Miss Boncassen had been revealed to him.  ’There’s no time for that kind of thing now,’ he said weakly.

‘I thought that when you were here together—­’

’I must dress now, sir; but I will tell you about it when I get back from Cornwall.  I will come back direct to Matching, and will explain everything.’  So he escaped.

It was clear to Lady Mabel that there was no opportunity now for any scheme.  Whatever might be possible must be postponed till after this Cornish business had been completed.  Perhaps it might be better so. she had thought that she would appeal to himself, that she would tell him of his father’s wishes, of her love for him,—­of the authority which he had once given her for loving him,—­ and of the absolute impossibility of his marriage with the American.  She thought that she could do it, if not efficiently at any rate effectively.  But it could not be done on the very day on which the American had gone.

It came out in the course of the evening that he was going to assist Frank Tregear in his canvass.  The matter was not spoken of openly, as Tregear’s name could hardly be mentioned.  But everybody knew it, and it gave occasion to Mabel for a few words apart to Silverbridge.  ‘I am so glad you are going to him,’ she said in a little whisper.

’Of course I go when he wishes me.  I don’t know whether I can do him any good.’

’The greatest good in the world.  Your name will go so far!  It will be everything to him to be in Parliament.  And when are we to meet again?’

‘I shall turn up somewhere,’ he replied as he gave her his hand to wish her good-bye.

On the following morning the Duke said to Lady Mabel that she would stay at Matching for yet another fortnight,—­or even for a month if it might be possible.  Lady Mabel, whose father was still abroad, was not sorry to accept the invitation.

CHAPTER 55

Polpenno