[Chapter VII.]
Containing indeed no great matters, but being a prelude to greater.
Mr. Glanville, who stood fixed like a statue in the place where Arabella had left him, was roused by this message, which though palliated a little by the girl that delivered it, who was not quite so punctual as Lucy, nevertheless filled him with extreme confusion. He obeyed however immediately, and retiring to his own apartment, endeavoured to recall to his memory all Lady Bella had said.
The ambiguity of her style, which had led him into a suspicion he had never entertained before, her last words had partly explained, if, as he understood she did, she meant him by Ariamenes. Taking this for granted, he easily conceived some plot grounded on her romantic notions had been laid, to prepossess her against him.
Sir George's behaviour to her rushed that moment into his thoughts: he instantly recollected all his fooleries, his history, his letter, his conversation, all apparently copied from those books she was so fond of, and probably done with a view to some other design upon her.
These reflections, joined to his new-awakened suspicions that he was in love with her, convinced him he was the author of their present misunderstanding; and that he had imposed some new fallacy upon Arabella, in order to promote a quarrel between them.
Fired almost to madness at this thought, he stamped about his room, vowing revenge upon Sir George, execrating romances, and cursing his own stupidity, for not discovering Sir George was his rival, and, knowing his plotting talent, not providing against his artifices.
His first resolutions were, to set out immediately for Sir George's seat, and force him to confess the part he had acted against him: but a moment's consideration convinced him, that was not the most probable place to find him in, since it was much more likely he was waiting the success of his schemes in London, or perhaps at Richmond.
Next to satiating his vengeance, the pleasure of detecting him in such a manner, that he could not possibly deny or palliate his guilt, was next his heart.