"What a time you've been!" she said.
He did not reply, and had his back to her as old Jarvis helped him on with his raincoat and handed him his gloves and crop. She did not notice that there was anything wrong with him until they were mounted and had set off. Then she saw his face and exclaimed in quick alarm: "What's the matter, darling? Aren't you well?"
His voice was not like his as he replied: "I've had a letter from B. She says she's engaged to Lassigny."
Caroline had to use her brain quickly to divine how such a piece of news would affect him. But for his view of it, it would have been only rather exciting. She knew Lassigny, and liked him. "I didn't know he was there," she said lamely.
"She hadn't told me that he was," he said. "I suppose he went up there after her—got himself an invitation. He's staying in the house."
"I don't think he'd do anything underhand, Dad."
"I don't say it would be underhand. If he hasn't done that he must have been invited with all the rest, and she must have known it. But she never said so."
Caroline was disturbed at the bitterness with which he spoke, and did not quite understand it. He had made no objections to Lassigny as a friend of hers, nor to her having asked him to Abington at Whitsuntide. He seemed to have liked him himself. What was it that he was so upset about? Was it with Beatrix?
"Do you think she ought not to have accepted him without asking you first, darling?" she said. "I suppose she does ask your permission."
"No, she doesn't. She takes it for granted. She's engaged to him, and hopes I shall be as happy about it as she is. He's going to write to me. But there's no letter from him yet."