It was late in April when she went down to Mistletoe, the marriage having been fixed for the 3rd of May.  After that they were to spend a fortnight in Paris, and leave England for Patagonia at the end of the month.  The only thing which Arabella dreaded was the meeting with the Duchess.  When that was once over she thought that she could bear with equanimity all that could come after.  The week before her marriage could not be a pleasant week, but then she had been accustomed to endure evil hours.  Her uncle would be blandly good-natured.  Mistletoe, should he be there, would make civil speeches to compensate for his indifference when called upon to attack Lord Rufford.  Other guests would tender to her the caressing observance always shown to a bride.  But as she got out of the ducal carriage at the front door, her heart was uneasy at the coming meeting.

The Duchess herself almost went to bed when the time came, so much did she dread the same thing.  She was quite alone, having felt that she could not bring herself to give the affectionate embrace which the presence of others would require.  She stood in the middle of the room and then came forward three steps to meet the bride.  “Arabella,” she said, “I am very glad that everything has been settled so comfortably for you.”

“That is so kind of you, aunt,” said Arabella, who was watching the Duchess closely,—­ready to jump into her aunt’s arms if required to do so, or to stand quite aloof.

Then the Duchess signified her pleasure that her cheek should be touched,—­and it was touched.  “Mrs. Pepper will show you your room.  It is the same you had when you were here before.  Perhaps you know that Mr. Green comes down to Stamford on the first, and that he will dine here on that day and on Sunday.”

“That will be very nice.  He had told me how it was arranged.”

“It seems that he knows one of the clergymen in Stamford, and will stay at his house.  Perhaps you will like to go upstairs now.”

That was all there was, and that had not been very bad.  During the entire week the Duchess hardly spoke to her another word, and certainly did not speak to her a word in private.  Arabella now could go where she pleased without any danger of meeting her aunt on her walks.  When Sunday came nobody asked her to go to church.  She did go twice, Mounser Green accompanying her to the morning service;—­but there was no restraint.  The Duchess only thought of her as a disagreeable ill-conducted incubus, who luckily was about to be taken away to Patagonia.

It had been settled on all sides that the marriage was to be very quiet.  The bride was of course consulted about her bridesmaids, as to whom there was a little difficulty.  But a distant Trefoil was found willing to act, in payment for the unaccustomed invitation to Mistletoe, and one Connop Green young lady, with one De Browne young lady, and one Smijth young lady came on the same terms.  Arabella herself