She had written her letters, but had not yet sent them. Those to Mrs Finn and the two younger ladies had been easy enough. Could Mr and Mrs Finn come to Matching on the twentieth of November? 'Papa says that you promised to return, and thinks this time will perhaps suit you.' And then to Lady Mabel: 'Do come if you can; and papa particularly says that he hopes Miss Cassewary will come also.' To Miss Boncassen she had written a long letter, but that too had been written very easily. 'I write to you instead of your mamma because I know you. You must tell her that, and then she will not be angry. I am only papa's messenger, and I am to say how much he hopes that you will come on the twentieth. Mr Boncassen is to bring the whole British Museum if he wishes.' Then there was a little postscript which showed that there was already considerable intimacy between the two young ladies: 'We won't have either Mr L or Lord P.' Not a word was said about Lord Silverbridge. There was not even an initial to indicate his name.
But the letter to her brother was more difficult. In her epistles to those others she had so framed her words as if possible to bring them to Matching. But in writing to her brother, she was anxious to write as to deter him from coming. She was bound to obey her father's commands. He had desired that Silverbridge should be asked to come,--and he was asked to come. But she craftily endeavoured to word the invitation that he should be induced to remain away. 'It is all papa's doing,' she said; 'and I am glad that he should like to have people here. I have asked the Finns with whom papa seems to have made up everything. Mr Warburton will be here of course, and I think Mr Moreton is coming. He seems to think that a certain amount of shooting ought to be done. Then I have invited Lady Mabel Grex and Miss Cassewary,--all of course of papa's choosing, and the Boncassens.
Now you will know whether the set will suit you. Papa particularly begged that you will come,--apparently because of Lady Mabel. I don't know what all that means. Perhaps you do. As I like Lady Mabel, I hope she will come.' Surely Silverbridge would not run himself into the jaws of the lion. When he heard that he was specially expected by his father to come to Matching in order that he might make himself agreeable to one young lady, he would hardly venture to come, seeing that he would be bound to make love to another young lady!
To Mary's great horror, all the invitations were accepted. Mr and Mrs Finn were quite at the Duke's disposal. 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 s 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. I like Warburton very much, but I think he shoots badly to ingratiate himself with the governor. I wonder whether the governor would get leave for Gerald for a week. He has been sticking to his work like a brick. If not, would he mind my bringing someone? You ask the governor and let me know. I'll be there on the twentieth. I wonder whether they'll let me hear what goes on among them about politics? I'm sure there is not one of them hates Sir Timothy worse than I do. Lady Mab is a brick, and I'm glad you have asked her. I don't think she'll come, as she likes shutting herself up at Grex. Miss Boncassen is another brick. And if you can manage about Gerald I will say you are a third.'
This would have been all very well had she not know that secret.
Could it be that Miss Boncassen had been mistaken? She was forced to write again to say that her father did not think it right that Gerald should be brought away from his studies for the sake of shooting, and that the necessary fourth gun would be there in the person of Barrington Erle. Then she added: 'Lady Mabel Grex is coming, and so is Miss Boncassen.' But to this she received no reply.
Though Silverbridge had written to his sister in his usual careless style, he had considered the matter much. The three months were over. He had no idea of any hesitation on his part. He had asked her to be his wife, and he was determined to go on with his suit. Had he ever been enabled to make the same request to Mabel Grex, or had she answered him when he did half make it in a serious manner, he would have been true to her. He had not told his father, or his sister, or his friends, as Isabel had suggested. He would not do so till he should have received some more certain answer from her. But in respect to his love he was prepared to be as quite as obstinate as his sister. It was a matter for his own consideration, and he would choose for himself.
The three months were over, and it was now his business to present himself to the lady again.
That Lady Mabel should also be at Matching, would certainly be a misfortune. He thought it probable that she, knowing that Isabel Boncassen and he would be there together, would refuse the invitation. Surely she ought to do so. That was his opinion when he wrote to his sister. When he heard afterwards that she intended to be there, he could only suppose that she was prepared to accept the circumstances as they stood.