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.

CHAPTER 52

Miss Boncassen Tells the Truth

On the twentieth of the month all the guests came rattling in at Matching one after the another.  The Boncassens were the first, but Lady Mabel with Miss Cassewary followed them quickly.  Then came the Finns, and with them Barrington Erle.  Lord Silverbridge was the last.  He arrived by a train which reached the station at 7pm, and only entered the house as his father was asking Miss Boncassen into the dining-room.  He dressed himself in ten minutes, and joined the party as they had finished their fish.  ’I am awfully sorry,’ he said, rushing up to his father, ’but I thought that I should just hit it.’

‘There is no occasion for awe,’ said the Duke, ’as sufficiency of dinner is left.  But how you should have hit it, as you say,—­seeing that the train is not due at Bridstock till 7.05—­I do not know.’

‘I’ve often done it, sir,’ said Silverbridge, taking the seat left vacant for him next to Lady Mabel.  ’We’ve had a political caucus of the party,—­all the members who could be got together in London,—­at Sir Timothy’s, and I was bound to attend.’

‘We’ve all heard of that,’ said Phineas Finn.