“You think that Harriet herself knows of it?” the Duke said, in a stunned voice.

“Certainly. Why should she not?” replied his uncle. “If you have some romantic notion in your head, I advise you to rid yourself of it, boy. Romantic notions do very well in a trashy novel, and I daresay they may not come amiss amongst the lesser ranks of society, but they are not for persons of our order, and that you may depend upon. Yes, yes, you think me very unfeeling, I daresay, but you may believe me when I tell you that I have seen more unhappiness arising out of a so-called love-match than from any other cause in this world. I dare swear you, at twenty-four and with your head full of nonsense, have not half as much idea of what will suit you as I have. But don’t imagine, Gilly, that I would tie you up to someone for whom you feel the least degree of dislike! You cannot have failed to notice that your aunt and I have taken every opportunity of inviting the Ampleforths to Sale. I have encouraged you to visit them, and you have not been backward in accepting invitations to Ampleforth. I have made it my business to observe you narrowly, and I own that I shall be surprised to learn that you are wholly indifferent to Lady Harriet.”

The Duke grasped the back of a chair. He looked even paler than was natural in him, and acutely unhappy. “No, indeed! I have the greatest regard—She has always been most amiable—But marriage—!”

“Come, Gilly!” said Lord Lionel, a little impatiently, “you do not mean to tell me that you had never considered the question! You knew very well that the matter was arranged!”

“Yes,” the Duke said, in a hollow tone. “Yes, I did know. Only I hoped—I thought—”

“Well, and what did you think and hope?”

“I don’t know,” said the Duke helplessly. “Only that perhaps something would occur—or some other man offer—or—or that it might not be quite yet!”

His uncle looked shrewdly at him. “Have you a tendre for some other female, Gilly?” he asked.

The Duke shook his head.

“Well, I thought you had not, for you have never been in the petticoat-line, but you need not scruple to tell me so if I have been mistaken.” He waited, but the Duke only shook his head again. “Then what is the matter? Be open with me, I beg of you!”

The Duke took out his handkerchief, and pressed it to his lips. “I hardly know. I do not mean to say anything in Harriet’s disparagement! I have always been excessively attached to her, ever since we were children. She is everything that is amiable and obliging. Indeed, she is all compliance and good-nature, and is very pretty besides, but—but I had thought that when I came to marry I should choose awife for myself, a lady for whom I felt—with whom I might be in love, sir!”

“Oho! Here is a high flight!” said his uncle, rather amused. “And where is this fine lady?”

“I have not met one. I—”

“I am happy to hear it, for if any one thing is more to be depended on than another is that she would be quite ineligible! We have all our youthful fancies, Gilly, but it will not answer to be fashioning our lives on them. Now, you are not a schoolboy. You have been about the world a little: I took care that you should do so. You have been presented at Court, you have taken your seat in the House, you have travelled, you have had a season in London. Had you formed an attachment for some female it would not have surprised me in the least, and had your affections become fixed upon an eligible object you would not have found me unreasonable. But although you have met any number of young females of ton, none has succeeded in capturing your fancy. I do not feel that in urging you to come to the point with Ampleforth I am tying you up in matrimony before you have had time to know your own mind.”

“Do you mean that I shall never feel a—a stronger degree of attachment for a female than—than—”

“My dear Gilly, this is being foolish without permission! In plain terms, the sort of passion you have in mind has little to do with marriage. I grant that to be obliged to live with a woman whom you held in aversion would be a sad fate, but we need not consider that. You own that you are not indifferent to Lady Harriet. For a female, I believe her to have a superior understanding. Her disposition is amiable, and if you mean to object that there is a want of spirits in her I would point out to you that you have very odd humours yourself, and would find less rational comfort with a woman of more vivacity than with a quiet girl who would, I am persuaded, partake of many of your sentiments, and study to please you.”

“Oh, yes, yes!” interrupted Gilly. “But—”

Lord Lionel held up his hand. “No, listen to what I have to say to you, my boy! You think I do not enter into your feelings upon this occasion, but you are mistaken. I shall be plain with you. In Lady Harriet you will not find yourself saddled with a wife who will expect more from you than you are inclined to give. She is a very well brought-up girl; and while, on the one hand, I am satisfied that she will conduct herself, as Duchess of Sale, with propriety and discretion, she will not expect you to be always at her side. If you choose to mount a mistress, she will know how to look the other way, and you will not be obliged to face the reproaches which might be levelled at you by a woman of lesser breeding. In short, you may be assured of a well-conducted household with an amiable woman at its head, and may indulge what romantic fancies you please out of it.”

“Do you suppose, sir,” said Gilly, in an extinguished tone, “that it is with such sentiments as these that Harriet thinks of marriage with me—or—or with another?”

“I have been acquainted with Augusta Ampleforth any time these twenty years,” responded Lord Lionel readily, “and “I entertain no fears that Harriet has been allowed to fill her head with romantical stuff and nonsense. I daresay Lady Ampleforth may have some faults—”

“I have always thought her the most unfeeling woman I have ever met!” the Duke said.

“Well, well, now you are in your high ropes again! She is an ambitious woman, but she has a great deal of common-sense, after all!”

The Duke released the chairback, and took a turn about the room. He was evidently agitated, and his uncle allowed him to walk about for a few minutes before saying: “If you dislike it so very much, Gilly, you should have told me of it earlier. To draw back at this late date will be as bad as to declare off.”

The Duke turned a startled face towards him. “Oh, no, surely not!”

“It has been understood between the two families for some years, and from what I hear the announcement of your engagement is pretty widely expected.”

The Duke looked quite horrified. “But it cannot be! I have never offered never said a word to Harriet, or given anyone the least reason to suppose that my affections had become fixed!”

“My dear boy, in our world these affairs are generally known. Ampleforth has refused one offer for Harriet’s hand already, and I have little doubt that her ladyship will have dropped a hint or two abroad. It would be a great piece of folly to pretend that you are not a splendid matrimonial prize, Gilly, so we will not indulge ourselves with any humbug about that. In fact, except for Devonshire, who must be nearing thirty by now and seems to be a settled bachelor—besides he is extremely deaf—I do not know of one to equal you. Depend upon it, Augusta Ampleforth will not have been able to resist the temptation of telling her friends—in the strictest confidence, of course!—that she has such large expectations for her daughter. She must be the envy of her acquaintance!”

The Duke passed a hand through his fair locks. “I had no idea of this! Do you tell me that the Ampleforths—Harriet—have been expecting me to declare myself?”

“Oh, well, no, I do not say that,” replied Lord Lionel. “In fact, I told Ampleforth I would not have you established too early in life. Your health was too uncertain, and I wished you to have time to look about you before making your choice.”

“My choice!” Gilly ejaculated. “It seems I have none at all, sir!”

“Yon have certainly made none,” said his uncle dryly.

There was a defeated silence. After a few moments, Gilly said: “I do not know what to say. I must see Ampleforth, and—and Harriet too. Until I am persuaded that she does indeed expect me to offer—Well, I must see her!”

“Not before you have spoken with her father!” exclaimed Lord Lionel.

“Oh, no!” Gilly said wearily.

“There is no need for you to be in a hurry,” said Lord Lionel. “I believe the Ampleforths are in London at present, but they will be removing into the country at any moment now, I should suppose. Ampleforth is bound to invite you to one of his battues, and you may then—”

“No, no, I would rather by far visit him in town!” Gilly said. “I had been thinking that I would go up to see my cousin. If you do not object, sir, I will do so.”

“Object! Pray, why should you always be supposing that I may object to what you wish to do, Gilly,” demanded Lord Lionel. “But you will find London very thin of company at this season, and I own I do not like the fogs for you, and they will soon be starting, you know. However, if you like to go for a few days it can very well be arranged. I will send an express to Scriven, to warn him to have Sale House in readiness for you. Romsey may accompany you, and—”

“I should like to go alone—and to an hotel!” said the Duke desperately.

“Alone and to an hotel!” repeated his uncle, thunderstruck. “Next I shall be told that you would like to travel to town on the stage-coach!”

“No, I don’t wish to travel on a stage-coach, but I do not want Romsey!”