The Dowager, having finished with her daughter’s letter, now had leisure to turn her attention to Miss Morville, who was slipping her own letter into her reticule; and to enquire with a regal condescension which almost robbed her question of its impertinence who was her correspondent. Upon learning that Mrs. Morville had written to inform her daughter that she and Mr. Morville expected to return to Lincolnshire in the following week, she fell into a complaining mood, which had the effect of speedily breaking up the nuncheon-party. Martin went off to change his riding-dress for a shooting-jacket; Miss Morville escorted the Dowager upstairs to the Italian Saloon, where she very soon fell asleep on one of the sofas; and the Earl strolled down to the stables, to take a look at Cloud’s forelegs.
He found Theo there, giving some directions to his groom, who was to bring his riding-horse over to Evesleigh on the following day, when a cast shoe should have been replaced. He burst out laughing when he heard whither the Earl was bound that afternoon, but said: “You will not go!”
“My dear Theo, I do not dare even to hesitate! Only think how shocking it would be if Louisa were to come down upon us again!”
“True! But to send you running about the countryside on such an errand — ! Shall I go in your stead?”
“No, you are not conciliatory, and although my stepmother by no means desires to conciliate Mrs. Neath, she has commanded me to perform this office for my sister.”
“Humbug! Much you would care for her commands!”
“Why, the truth is,” said the Earl, laughing, “I have not had my grays out for three days, and I can as well exercise them on a drive to Kentham as anywhere else.”
“Oh, if that is the case — ! But one might have expected Louisa to apply to Martin rather than to you!”
“But I thought I had made it plain to you that a conciliatory manner is what is desired?”
“So you did! Where is Martin?”