Christmas day and the next day passed without any sign from Lord Chiltern, and on the day after that he was to go away.  But he was not to leave till one or two in the afternoon.  Not a word had been said between the two women, since he had been in the house, on the subject of which both of them were thinking.  Very much had been said of the expediency of his going to Saulsby, but on this matter he had declined to make any promise.  Sitting in Lady Laura’s room, in the presence of both of them, he had refused to do so.  “I am bad to drive,” he said, turning to Violet, “and you had better not try to drive me.”

“Why should not you be driven as well as another?” she answered, laughing.

CHAPTER LII

The First Blow

Lord Chiltern, though he had passed two entire days in the house with Violet without renewing his suit, had come to Loughlinter for the express purpose of doing so, and had his plans perfectly fixed in his own mind.  After breakfast on that last morning he was up-stairs with his sister in her own room, and immediately made his request to her.  “Laura,” he said, “go down like a good girl, and make Violet come up here.”  She stood a moment looking at him and smiled.  “And, mind,” he continued, “you are not to come back yourself.  I must have Violet alone.”

“But suppose Violet will not come?  Young ladies do not generally wait upon young men on such occasions.”

“No;—­but I rank her so high among young women, that I think she will have common sense enough to teach her that, after what has passed between us, I have a right to ask for an interview, and that it may be more conveniently had here than in the wilderness of the house below.”

Whatever may have been the arguments used by her friend, Violet did come.  She reached the door all alone, and opened it bravely.  She had promised herself, as she came along the passages, that she would not pause with her hand on the lock for a moment.  She had first gone to her own room, and as she left it she had looked into the glass with a hurried glance, and had then rested for a moment,—­thinking that something should be done, that her hair might be smoothed, or a ribbon set straight, or the chain arranged under her brooch.  A girl would wish to look well before her lover, even when she means to refuse him.  But her pause was but for an instant, and then she went on, having touched nothing.  She shook her head and pressed her hands together, and went on quick and opened the door,—­almost with a little start.  “Violet, this is very good of you,” said Lord Chiltern, standing with his back to the fire, and not moving from the spot.

“Laura has told me that you thought I would do as much as this for you, and therefore I have done it.”

“Thanks, dearest.  It is the old story, Violet, and I am so bad at words!”

“I must have been bad at words too, as I have not been able to make you understand.”