Morton tried to make himself agreeable to his left-hand neighbour, trying also very hard to make himself believe that he was happy in his immediate position.  How often in the various amusements of the world is one tempted to pause a moment and ask oneself whether one really likes it!  He was conscious that he was working hard, struggling to be happy, painfully anxious to be sure that he was enjoying the luxury of being in love.  But he was not at all contented.  There she was, and very beautiful she looked; and he thought that he could be proud of her if she sat at the end of his table;—­and he knew that she was engaged to be his wife.  But he doubted whether she was in love with him; and he almost doubted sometimes whether he was very much in love with her.  He asked her in so many words what he should do to amuse her.  Would she like to ride with him, as if so he would endeavour to get saddle-horses.  Would she like to go out hunting?  Would she be taken round to see the neighbouring towns, Rufford and Norrington?  “Lord Rufford lives somewhere near Rufford?” she asked.  Yes; he lived at Rufford Hall, three or four miles from the town.  Did Lord Rufford hunt?  Morton believed that he was greatly given to hunting.  Then he asked Arabella whether she knew the young lord.  She had just met him, she said, and had only asked the question because of the name.  “He is one of my neighbours down here,” said Morton;—­“but being always away of course I see nothing of him.”  After that Arabella consented to be taken out on horseback to see a meet of the hounds although she could not hunt.  “We must see what we can do about horses,” he said.  She however professed her readiness to go in the carriage if a saddle-horse could not be found.

The dinner party I fear was very dull.  Mr. Mainwaring perhaps liked it because he was fond of dining anywhere away from home.  Mr. Cooper was glad once more to see his late old friend’s old dining-room.  Mr. Gotobed perhaps obtained some information.  But otherwise the affair was dull.  “Are we to have a week of this?” said Lady Augustus when she found herself up-stairs.

“You must, mamma, if we are to stay till we go to the Gores.  Lord Rufford is here in the neighbourhood.”

“But they don’t know each other.”

“Yes they do;—­slightly.  I am to go to the meet someday and he’ll be there.”

“It might be dangerous.”

“Nonsense, mamma!  And after all you’ve been saying about dropping Mr. Morton!”

“But there is nothing so bad as a useless flirtation.”

“Do I ever flirt?  Oh, mamma, that after so many years you shouldn’t know me!  Did you ever see me yet making myself happy in any way?  What nonsense you talk!” Then without waiting for, or making, any apology, she walked off to her own room.

CHAPTER XIV

The Dillsborough Feud