'Yes, my lady,' answered Mr. Chadwick, in his old-fashioned manner; 'I have been fond of shooting ever since I was a boy, and used to go out on Sunday mornings at Jarrow a-birding with an old horse-pistol. I have had some great times since then, battoos, as they call 'em, and wholesale slaughter of all kinds; but I doubt if I really enjoyed any of it so much as those Sunday mornings.'
'You will have a companion in your sport in a day or two,' said May; 'Sir Nugent Uffington has promised to come down on Thursday.'
'Sir Nugent coming?' cried Mrs. Chadwick. 'That is delightful news; he is a most charming man!'
'Yes, he is a good fellow,' said Mr. Chadwick. 'I took a liking to him the first time I saw him, because I thought he spoke up so well and pluckily about--'
And here the fact of its having been Lady Forestfield's case which Sir Nugent Uffington had so promptly and readily defended came in full force upon Mr. Chadwick, causing him to stop abruptly and to become purple in the face.
Fortunately Mr. Pratt was fully equal to the occasion. 'When you tell Mr. Chadwick that he will not have a companion for a day or two, Lady Forestfield,' he said, with a smile, 'I see you perfectly appreciate my performances in the field. To tell the truth, I never could see the pleasure of tramping about over stubble and furrow, tiring yourself to death, and rendering your shoulder painful for a week.'
'He is more delightful than ever,' whispered Mrs. Chadwick to her hostess. 'I was afraid that Eleanor's behaviour to him might have caused some coolness between us; but he seems to have quite got over what I cannot help even to you, her great friend, Lady Forestfield, calling her rather cruel treatment of him; and though I confess I was disappointed at the failure of a plan which I certainly could not have espoused if I had not thought it would have been for the good of all, I am delighted to say it has had one excellent result, which I may tell you in confidence.' Then, dropping her voice to a tragic whisper, she said: 'He has completely broken with that person.'
'Indeed!' said Lady Forestfield, who took not the least interest, and scarcely understood what was said; 'I am glad to hear it.'
'Completely broken with her,' said Mrs. Chadwick; 'and I am sure all who have any sense of decency and self-respect must be delighted to hear it.'
The next morning, as they were returning from an early drive round the park, Lady Forestfield saw a telegraph messenger entering the lodge gate, and beckoning him to her, received from him a message with which he was proceeding to the house. It was from Sir Nugent Uffington, and ran as follows: