nt of her son-in-law. She had a malicious
pleasure in the thought of his discomfiture. Cavendish! She imagined
to herself how they would open their eyes, and tasted in advance the
pleasure of the letter which she should write to Minnie, disclosing all
that would happen. It seemed to her that she knew very well what would
happen. The young man was honourable and honest, and Chatty was most fit
and suitable, a bride whom no parents could object to. As for mysterious
restraining influences, Mrs. Warrender believed in no such things. She
had not lived in a world where they exist, and she felt as sure of Dick
Cavendish as of herself--that is to say, _almost_ as sure.

All this might have been very well and done no harm, but in the energy
of her angry, excited, exasperated, exhilarated mood, it occurred to Mrs.
Warrender to take such a step as she had never done before nor thought
herself capable of doing. To make overtures of any sort to a man who
had shown a disposition to be her daughter's lover, yet had not said
anything or committed himself in any way, would, twenty-four hours
before, have seemed to her impossible. It would have seemed to her
inconsistent with Chatty's dignity and her own. But opposition and a
desire to have the better of one's domestic and intimate opponents is
very strong, and tempts people to the most equivocal proceedings. Mrs.
Warrender did not wait to think, but took out a fresh sheet of paper and
dipped her pen in the ink with that impulsiveness which was characteristic
of her. A note or two had already passed between Dick Cavendish and
herself, so that it was not so extraordinary a proceeding as it seemed.
This was what she wrote:--

DEAR MR. CAVENDISH--Is it worth while coming to us only from
Saturday to Monday as your modesty suggests? I fear Chatty and
I in our quietness would scarcely repay the long journey. But
Minnie is with us (with her husband), and she was always a
much more practical person than her mother. She has just been
suggesting to me that Theo has now the command of covers more
interesting from the sportsman point of view than our old
thicket at the Warren. If, therefore, you really feel inclined
to come down for a few days, there will, it appears, be a
real inducement--something more in a young man's way than the
tea-parties at Highcombe. So bring your gun, and let it be from
Monday to Saturday instead of the other wa