ever, was passed in hunting; and though he said nothing
to either of the three ladies, it was understood by them as they
returned to Portray that there was to be no quarrel. Lord George
and Sir Griffin had discussed the matter, and Lord George took upon
himself to say that there was no quarrel. On the morning but one
following, there came a note from Sir Griffin to Lucinda,--just as
they were leaving home for their journey up to London,--in which Sir
Griffin expressed his regret if he had said anything displeasing to
Mrs. Carbuncle.

CHAPTER XLIV

A Midnight Adventure

Something as to the jewels had been told to Lord George;--and this
was quite necessary, as Lord George intended to travel with the
ladies from Portray to London. Of course, he had heard of the
diamonds,--as who had not? He had heard too of Lord Fawn, and knew
why it was that Lord Fawn had peremptorily refused to carry out his
engagement. But, till he was told by Mrs. Carbuncle, he did not
know that the diamonds were then kept within the castle, nor did he
understand that it would be part of his duty to guard them on their
way back to London. "They are worth ever so much; ain't they?" he
said to Mrs. Carbuncle, when she first gave him the information.

"Ten thousand pounds," said Mrs. Carbuncle, almost with awe.

"I don't believe a word of it," said Lord George.

"She says that they've been valued at that, since she's had them."

Lord George owned to himself that such a necklace was worth
having,--as also, no doubt, were Portray Castle and the income
arising from the estate, even though they could be held in possession
only for a single life. Hitherto in his very chequered career he
had escaped the trammels of matrimony, and among his many modes of
life had hardly even suggested to himself the expediency of taking
a wife with a fortune, and then settling down for the future, if
submissively, still comfortably. To say that he had never looked
forward to such a marriage as a possible future arrangement would
probably be incorrect. To men such as Lord George it is too easy a
result of a career to be altogether banished from the mind. But no
attempt had ever yet been made, nor had any special lady ever been
so far honoured in his thoughts as to be connected in them with any
vague ideas which he might have formed on the subject. But now it did
occur to him that Portray Castle was a place in which he could pass
two or three months annually witho