Lady Mabel was content with her afternoon’s work.  When they had been at Matching before the Polpenno election, there had apparently been no friendship between them;—­at any rate no confidential friendship.  Miss Boncassen had been there, and he had neither ears nor eyes for anyone else.  But now something like the feeling of old days had been restored.  She had not done much towards her great object,—­but then she had known that nothing could be done till he should again be in good humour with her.

On the Sunday, the Monday, and the Tuesday they were again together.  In some of these interviews Silverbridge described the Polpenno people, and told her how Miss Tregear had been reassured by his eloquence.  He also read to her the Jawstock and Tifto correspondence, and was complimented by her as to his prudence and foresight.  ‘To tell the truth I consulted Mr Lupton,’ he said, not liking to take credit for wisdom which had not been his own.  Then they talked about Grex, and Killancodlem, about Gerald and the shooting, about Mary’s love for Tregear, and about the work for the coming session.  On all these subjects they were comfortable and confidential,—­Miss Boncassen’s name never having been as yet so much as mentioned.

But still the real work was before her.  She had not hoped to bring him round to kneel once more at her feet by such gentle measures as these.  She had not dared to dream that he could in this way be taught to forget the past autumn and all its charms.  She knew well that there was something very difficult before her.  But, if that difficult thing might be done at all, these were the preparations which must be made for the doing of it.

It was arranged that she should leave Matching on Saturday, the first day of the new year.  Things had gone on in the manner described till the Thursday had come.  The Duke had been impatient but had restrained himself.  He had seen that they were much together and that they were apparently friends.  He had told himself that there were two more days, and that before the end of those days everything might be pleasantly settled!

It had become a matter of course that Silverbridge and Mabel should walk together in the afternoon.  He himself had felt that there was danger in this,—­not danger that he should be untrue to Isabel, but that he should make others think that he was true to Mabel.  But he excused himself on the plea that he and Mabel had been intimate friends,—­were still intimate friends, and that she was going away in a day or two.  Mary, who watched it all, was sure that misery was being prepared for someone.  She was aware that by this time her father was anxious to welcome Mabel as his daughter-in-law.  She strongly suspected that something had been said between her father and her brother on the subject.  But then she had Isabel Boncassen’s direct assurance that Silverbridge was engaged to her!  Now when Isabel’s back was turned, Silverbridge and Mabel were always together.