“Oh, I wouldn’t call him proud, precisely. Gets up on his high ropes now and then, but he ain’t one of your high sticklers.”
Miss Charing meditated for some moments in silence. “I did not wish him to come,” she said at last, “but Uncle Matthew is excessively vexed that he has not. It is the most absurd thing, but I am persuaded that Uncle Matthew had not the least notion of my marrying anyone else. He was as mad as fire when only Dolph and the Rattrays came to Arnside.”
“Anyone would be,” agreed Freddy. “Can’t think what possessed the old gentleman to invite ’em!” He added modestly: “Or me either, for that matter.”
“He has taken a nonsensical notion into his head that he must not favour any of you above another. And you know what he is, Freddy! Once he has said a thing he will never unsay it! I daresay it may not have occurred to him that Jack would not even come! It would serve him right if I said I would marry Dolph!”
“You aren’t going to tell me Dolph offered for you?” said Freddy incredulously.
“Yes, he did. If I hadn’t been so angry I must have gone into whoops. Poor Dolph! he looked so miserable, and of course I knew he only did it because that odious woman compelled him!”
“Now I see it all!” announced Freddy, nodding his head several times. “Accounts for it! Told you I’d settled not to come, didn’t I? Well, it was Aunt Dolphinton who made me change my mind! If I hadn’t met her this morning, I wouldn’t have!”
Kitty looked very much surprised. “Lady Dolphinton made you come? No, how should she do that? She cannot have wished it!”
“Well, that’s it. Didn’t wish it at all. I was in Bond Street, just on the toddle, you know, when out she popped from Hookham’s Library, and stood there staring at me. Made my bow, of course: nothing else to be done! Nasty moment, I can tell you, because I was wearing a new waistcoat, and I’m not sure that it ain’t a thought too dashing. But it wasn’t that. Not,” he added, considering the matter, “that I feel quite easy about it. Liked it when Weston showed it to me, but as soon as I put it on—”
“Oh, Freddy, do stop talking about coats and waistcoats!” begged Miss Charing, quite out of patience. “What did Lady Dolphinton say?”