'James! He will utterly disown me!'
'No hope of that,' he said. 'I daresay he may hold off for a few months to save his dignity, but it won't be for long. You, my loved one, little though it interests you, are about to become an extremely wealthy woman. You are also going to become the mistress of Danescourt.'
'Danescourt? But doesn't that belong to Stacy?'
'No, it belongs to me: I've bought it from him. I am taking you there tonight. It's in a deplorable state, but I threw an army into it last week to put it into some kind of order, and told our old housekeeper to hire some servants, so I hope you won't find it too uncomfortable. We won't stay there above a day or two, but I want you to inspect it, and decide what you wish for in the way of curtains and things of that nature. Where would you like to go after that?'
She said helplessly: 'I don't know. Oh, this is too fantastic! For heaven's sake, take me home! Only think of poor Selina!'
'Nothing would prevail upon me to take you home. You may write a note to poor Selina from Chippenham: I'll send it by a post-boy: but you are not going to see her again until you are firmly riveted, my girl, and it is too late for her to cling round your neck!'
'But what will she do?' said Abby distractedly.
'She will in all probability find a substitute for you in Miss Butterbank,' he replied calmly. 'What's more, they will deal extremely together. Fanny, I daresay, will go to your sister in London. By the by, do you wish for a London house?'
'No, of course I don't! Miles, do you realise that I haven't even a toothbrush?'
'Do you know, I believe you're right?' he said. 'And I thought I had remembered everything! What a fortunate thing that you mentioned it! We must buy one in Reading.'
'Have you had the audacity to – Oh, you are too abominable! I won't marry you! I will not! Take me home!'
Mr Miles Calverleigh brought his horses to a halt at the side of the road, and turned, and smiled at her. 'Tell me that that is what, in your heart, you want me to do, and I will!'
She looked into his eyes, and what she saw in them made her pulses race.
'Tell me, Abby!'
'You may be able to abduct me,' said Abby, with dignity, 'but you can't force me to tell lies! . . . Miles! there's a coach coming, and a man staring at us over the hedge! For heaven's sake – !'