But Miss Palliser must be made to
understand that the money did not come to her as a present from
Madame Goesler.
"But it will be a present from Madame Goesler," said the Duke.
"Plantagenet, if you go and upset everything by saying that, I shall
think it most ill-natured. Bother about true! Somebody must have the
money. There's nothing illegal about it." And the Duchess had her own
way. Lawyers were consulted, and documents were prepared, and the
whole thing was arranged. Only Adelaide Palliser knew nothing about
it, nor did Gerard Maule; and the quarrels of lovers had not yet
become the renewal of love. Then the Duchess wrote the two following
notes:--
MY DEAR ADELAIDE,
We shall hope to see you at Matching on the 15th of
August. The Duke, as head of the family, expects implicit
obedience. You'll meet fifteen young gentlemen from the
Treasury and the Board of Trade, but they won't incommode
you, as they are kept at work all day. We hope Mr. Finn
will be with us, and there isn't a lady in England who
wouldn't give her eyes to meet him.
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