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It has actually been said that real life is not always like a novel. This feebly false assertion was disproved forever in Aunt Aggie's mind by the sight of a dog-cart coming rapidly toward her from the direction of Lostford. She glanced indifferently at it as it approached, and then her pale eyes became glued to it. In the dog-cart sat Everard Constable, now Lord Lossiemouth.
"May I go on?" "No. Please don't." "I think I will all the same. Why not marry Lord Lossiemouth after all? Don't speak. I want to place the situation dispassionately before you. I have thought it carefully over. You are an extremely attractive woman, Magdalen. I don't know what it is about you, I fail to analyse it, but one becomes attached to you. You can make even a home pleasant.
A man got out and came towards him. The raw sunlight caught only his face and shoulders. He seemed to wade towards him waist deep through a grey sea. Lord Lossiemouth again! Lord Lossiemouth's heavy tired face showed sharp and white in the garish light. "I have been looking everywhere for you," he said, not ungently.
Nevertheless she, Aunt Aggie, had only done with consummate tact what Mary herself had contemplated doing in her rough way, and had been persuaded not to do. Some weeks ago Aunt Aggie had concocted in secret, recopied about twenty times, and had finally despatched a letter to Lord Lossiemouth anent Magdalen. It had been the boldest action of her life.
He paused a moment to let his words sink in evidently Miss Bellairs had not heard. "Three pounds five and nine," he said. "It is wonderful," said Magdalen emphatically. "Quite wonderful. I never heard of a boot-and-shoe club which was not in debt. Have you?" And she turned to Lord Lossiemouth. But Lord Lossiemouth's temper was absent. He found the situation intolerable. He only answered, "Never."
Lord Lossiemouth divined that each of the three believed him or herself to be the only one to tackle the subject. How ghastly! What a cruelly good short story it would make for a magazine! Then he read Lady Blore's letter. Apparently it was not pleasant reading. It seemed to prick somewhat sharply. He winced once or twice, and spoke angrily to it. "My good woman, as if I did not know that!
"Magdalen," she said at once, "in the presence of that weak sentimentalist my lips are closed. But now that we are alone, and as it is your wish to reopen the subject, it is my duty to inform myself whether anything has transpired about Everard Constable Lord Lossiemouth, as I suppose he now is." "Nothing," said Magdalen with a calmness that was almost cheerful.
Lady Blore held the tea-pot suspended. "Everard Constable Lossiemouth, I should say is at this moment sitting in the drawing-room at Priesthope, alone with Magdalen." Colonel Bellairs was not disappointed in the effect of his words on his audience. Aunt Aggie trembled and looked proudly guilty. Lady Blore put down the tea-pot suddenly, and said, "Thank God!"
The lamp in the library laid a pale finger of light upon the lawn, through the open glass doors. Wentworth went up to it, and then as he was about to enter, shrank back astonished. Lord Lossiemouth was sitting there with his back to the window. Wentworth stood a long time looking at him. He was evidently waiting for him to come in.
It was the Bishop's dog-cart. He recognised the groom who drove it. To his amazement he saw Lord Lossiemouth get out. After some parley he went into the house. Why should he have come? Oh! of course, how dense he was. He had been sent over on an embassy by Magdalen and the Bishop. They wanted to hush up the fight, and bring about a reconciliation between him and Fay.
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