Gatherum, –– January, 18––.
My dear Mr. Lopez,
I remember that you said that you would be home at this time, and therefore I write to you about the borough. Things are changed since you went away, and, I fear, not changed for your advantage.
We understand that Mr. Grey will apply for the Chiltern Hundreds at the end of March, and that the election will take place in April. No candidate will appear as favoured from hence. We used to run a favourite, and our favourite would sometimes win,—would sometimes even have a walk over; but those good times are gone. All the good times are going, I think. There is no reason that I know why you should not stand as well as any one else. You can be early in the field;—because it is only now known that there will be no Gatherum interest. And I fancy it has already leaked out that you would have been the favourite if there had been a favourite;—which might be beneficial.
I need hardly say that I do not wish my name to be mentioned in the matter.
Sincerely yours,
Glencora Omnium.
Sprugeon, the ironmonger, would, I do not doubt, be proud to nominate you.
"I don't understand much about it," said Emily.
"I dare say not. It is not meant that any novice should understand much about it. Of course you will not mention her Grace's letter."
"Certainly not."
"She intends to do the very best she can for me. I have no doubt that some understrapper from the Castle has had some communication with Mr. Sprugeon. The fact is that the Duke won't be seen in it, but that the Duchess does not mean that the borough shall quite slip through their fingers."
"Shall you try it?"
"If I do I must send an agent down to see Mr. Sprugeon on the sly, and the sooner I do so the better. I wonder what your father will say about it?"
"He is an old Conservative."
"But would he not like his son-in-law to be in Parliament?"
"I don't know that he would care about it very much. He seems always to laugh at people who want to get into Parliament. But if you have set your heart upon it, Ferdinand—"