free.  When she had refused to say a word to him of her own love or want of love, she had necessarily left him at liberty.  When she had put him off for three months, of course he was to be his own master.  But what must she think of him if it were so?  And how could he have the courage to face her in her father’s house if he intended to treat her in such a fashion?  But of all this she showed nothing, nor was there a tone in her voice which betrayed her.  She said her last word to Mr Monk with so sweet a smile that that old bachelor wished he were younger for her sake.

In the evening after dinner there was music.  It was discovered that Miss Boncassen sung divinely, and both Lady Mabel and Lady Mary accompanied her.  Mr Erle, and Mr Warburton, and Mr Monk, all of whom were unmarried, stood by enraptured.  But Lord Silverbridge kept himself apart, and interested himself in a description which Mrs Boncassen gave him of their young men and their young ladies in the States.  He had hardly spoken to Miss Boncassen,—­till he offered her sherry or soda-water before she retired for the night.  She refused his courtesy with her usual smile, but showed no more emotion than though they two had now met for the first time in their lives.

He had quite made up his mind as to what he would do.  When the opportunity should come his way he would simply remind her that the three months were passed.  But he was shy of talking to her in the presence of Lady Mabel and his father.  He was quite determined that the thing should be done at once, but he certainly wished that Lady Mabel had not been there.  In what she had said to him at the dinner-table she had made him quite understand that she would be a trouble to him.  He remembered her look when he had told her that she would marry.  It was as though she had declared to him that it was he who ought to be her husband.  It referred back to that proffer of love which he had once made to her.  Of course all this was disagreeable.  Of course it made things difficult for him.  But not the less was it a thing quite assured that he would press his suit to Miss Boncassen.  When he was talking to Mrs Boncassen he was thinking of nothing else.  When he was offering Isabel the glass of sherry he was telling himself that he would find his opportunity on the morrow,—­though, now, at this moment, it was impossible that he should make a sign.  She, as she went to bed, asked herself whether it was possible that there should be such treachery;—­whether it were possible that he should pass it all by as though he had never said a word to her!

During the whole of the next day, which was Sunday, he was equally silent.  Immediately after breakfast, on the Monday, shooting commenced, and he could not find a moment in which to speak.  It seemed to him that she purposely kept out of his way.  With Mabel he did find himself for a few moments alone, and was then interrupted by his sister and Isabel.  ’I hope you have killed a lot of things,’ said Miss Boncassen.