CHAPTER 74

‘Let Us Drink a Glass of Wine Together’

Silverbridge pondered it all much as he went home.  What a terrible story was that he had heard!  The horror to him was chiefly in this,—­that she should yet be driven to marry some man without even fancying that she could love him!  And his was Lady Mabel Grex, who, on his own first entrance into London life, now not much more than twelve months ago, had seemed to him to stand above all other girls in beauty, charm, and popularity!

As he opened the door of his house with his latch-key, who should be coming out but Frank Tregear,—­Frank Tregear with his arm in a sling, but still with an unmistakable look of general satisfaction.  ‘When on earth did you come up?’ asked Silverbridge.  Tregear told him that he had arrived on the previous evening from Harrington.  ’And why?  The doctor would not have let you come if he could have helped it.’

’When he found he could not help it, he did let me come.  I am nearly all right.  If I had been nearly all wrong I should have had to come.’

‘And what are you doing here?’

’Well; if you’ll allow me I’ll go back with you for a moment.  What do you think I have been doing?’

‘Have you seen my sister?’

’Yes, I have seen your sister.  And I have done better than that.  I have seen your father.  Lord Silverbridge,—­behold your brother-in-law.’

‘You don’t mean to say that it is arranged?’

‘I do.’

‘What did he say?’

’He made me understand by most unanswerable arguments, that I had no business to think of such a thing.  I did not fight the point with him,—­but simply stood there, as conclusive evidence of my business.  He told me that we should have nothing to live on unless he gave us an income.  I assured him that I would never ask him for a shilling.  “But I cannot allow her to marry a man without an income,” he said.’

‘I know his way so well.’

’I have just two facts to go upon,—­that I would not give her up, and that she would not give me up.  When I pointed that out he tore up his hair,—­in a mild way, and said that he did not understand that kind of thing at all.’

‘And yet he gave way.’

’Of course he did.  They say that when a king of old would consent to see a petitioner for his life, he was bound by his royalty to mercy.  So it was with the Duke.  Then, very early in the argument, he forgot himself, and called her,—­Mary.  I knew that he had thrown up the sponge then.’

‘How did he give way at last?’