CHAPTER 29

The Lovers Meet

Lord Silverbridge found his sister alone.  ’I particularly want you,’ said he, ’to come and call upon Lady Mabel Grex.  She wishes to know you, and I am sure you would like her.’

‘But I haven’t been out anywhere yet,’ she said.  ’I don’t feel as though I wanted to go anywhere.’

Nevertheless she was very anxious to know Lady Mabel Grex, of whom she had heard much.  A girl if she has had a former love passage says nothing of it to her new lover; but a man is not so reticent.  Frank Tregear had perhaps not told her everything, but he had told her something.  ‘I was very fond of her,—­very fond of her,’ he had said.  ‘And so I am still,’ he had added.  ’As you are my love of loves, she is my friend of friends.’  Lady Mary had been satisfied by the assurance, but had become anxious to see the friend of friends.  She resisted at first her brother’s entreaties.  She felt that her father in delivering her over to the seclusions of The Horns had intended to preclude her from showing herself in London.  She was conscious that she was being treated with cruelty, and had a certain pride in her martyrdom.  She would obey her father to the letter; she would give him no right to call her conduct in question; but he and any other to whom he might entrust the care of her, should be made to know that she thought him cruel.  He had his power to which she must submit.  But she also had hers,—­to which it was possible he might be made to submit.  ’I do not know that papa would wish me to go,’ she said.

’But it is just what he would wish.  He thinks a good deal about Mabel.’

‘Why should he think of her at all?’

‘I can’t exactly explain,’ said Silverbridge, ‘but he does.’

’If you mean to tell me that Mabel Grex is anything particular to you, and that papa approves of it, I will go round the world to see her.’  But he had not meant to tell his this.  The request had been made at Lady Mabel’s instance.  When his sister had spoken of her father’s possible objection, then he had become eager in explaining the Duke’s feeling, not remembering that such anxiety might betray himself.  At that moment Lady Cantrip came in, and the question was referred to her.  She did not see any objection to such a visit, and expressed her opinion that it would be a good thing that Mary should be taken out.  ’She should begin to go somewhere,’ said Lady Cantrip.  And so it was decided.  On the next Friday he would come down early in his hansom and drive her up to Belgrave Square.  Then he would take her to Carlton Terrace, and Lady Cantrip’s carriage should pick her up there and bring her home.  He would arrange it all.

‘What did you think of the American beauty?’ asked Lady Cantrip when that was settled.

‘I thought she was a beauty.’

‘So I perceived.  You had eyes for nobody else,’ said Lady Cantrip, who had been at the garden-party.