"Dressing, I should think; but what is the matter?"

"I want to see him. I must be off to Cornwall to-morrow morning."

"To Cornwall!" said Miss Cassewary. "Why to Cornwall?" asked Lady
Mabel. But Mary, connecting Cornwall with Frank Tregear, held her
peace.

"I can't explain it all now, but I must start very early to-morrow."
Then he went off to his father's study, and finding the Duke still
there explained the cause of his intended journey. The member for
Polpenno had died, and Frank Tregear had been invited to stand for
the borough. He had written to his friend to ask him to come and
assist in the struggle. "Years ago there used to be always a Tregear
in for Polpenno," said Silverbridge.

"But he is a younger son."

"I don't know anything about it," said Silverbridge, "but as he
has asked me to go I think I ought to do it." The Duke, who was by
no means the man to make light of the political obligations of
friendship, raised no objection.

"I wish," said he, "that something could have been arranged between
you and Mabel before you went." The young man stood in the gloom
of the dark room aghast. This was certainly not the moment for
explaining everything to his father. "I have set my heart very much
upon it, and you ought to be gratified by knowing that I quite
approve your choice."

All that had been years ago,--in last June;--before Mrs. Montacute
Jones's garden-party, before that day in the rain at Maidenhead,
before the brightness of Killancodlem, before the glories of Miss
Boncassen had been revealed to him. "There is no time for that kind
of thing now," he said weakly.

"I thought that when you were here together--"

"I must dress now, sir; but I will tell you all about it when I get
back from Cornwall. I will come back direct to Matching, and will
explain everything." So he escaped.

It was clear to Lady Mabel that there was no opportunity now for any
scheme. Whatever might be possible must be postponed till after this
Cornish business had been completed. Perhaps it might be better so.
She had thought that she would appeal to himself, that she would tell
him of his father's wishes, of her love for him,--of the authority
which he had once given her for loving him,--and of the absolute
impossibility of his marriage with the American. She thought that she
could do it, if not efficiently at any rate effectively. But it could
not be done on the very day on which the American had gone.

It came out in