In the second she would set the whole family at him as far as the family were within her reach.  With her cousin Lord Mistletoe, who was only two years older than herself, she had always held pleasant relations.  They had been children together, and as they had grown up the young Lord had liked his pretty cousin.  Latterly they had seen each other but rarely, and therefore the feeling still remained.  She would tell Lord Mistletoe her whole story,—­that is the story as she would please to tell it,—­and implore his aid.  Her father should be driven to demand from Lord Rufford an execution of his alleged promises.  She herself would write such a letter to the Duke as an uncle should be unable not to notice.  She would move heaven and earth as to her wrongs.  She thought that if her friends would stick to her, Lord Rufford would be weak as water in their hands.  But it must be all done immediately,—­so that if everything failed she might be ready to start to Patagonia some time in April.  When she looked back and remembered that it was hardly more than two months since she had been taken to Rufford Hall by Mr. Morton she could not accuse herself of having lost any time.

In London she met her mother,—­as to which meeting there had been some doubt,—­and underwent the tortures of a close examination.  She had thought it prudent on this occasion to tell her mother something, but not to tell anything quite truly.  “He has proposed to me,” she said.

“He has!” said Lady Augustus, holding up her hands almost in awe.

“Is there anything so wonderful in that?”

“Then it is all arranged.  Does the Duke know it?”

“It is not all arranged by any means, and the Duke does know it.  Now, mamma, after that I must decline to answer any more questions.  I have done this all myself, and I mean to continue it in the same way.”

“Did he speak to the Duke?  You will tell me that.”

“I will tell you nothing.”

“You will drive me mad, Arabella.”

“That will be better than your driving me mad just at present.  You ought to feel that I have a great deal to think of.”

“And have not I?”

“You can’t help me;—­not at present.”

“But he did propose,—­in absolute words?”

“Mamma, what a goose you are!  Do you suppose that men do it all now just as it is done in books?  ’Miss Arabella Trefoil, will you do me the honour to become my wife?’ Do you think that Lord Rufford would ask the question in that way?”

“It is a very good way.”

“Any way is a good way that answers the purpose.  He has proposed, and I mean to make him stick to it”

“You doubt then?”

“Mamma, you are so silly!  Do you not know what such a man is well enough to be sure that he’ll change his mind half-a-dozen times if he can?  I don’t mean to let him; and now, after that, I won’t say another word.”

“I have got a letter here from Mr. Short saying that something must be fixed about Mr. Morton.”  Mr. Short was the lawyer who had been instructed to prepare the settlements.