been hoping to see you," she said. "I have so much to tell you."
They drew aside together into a tiny room.
"Tell me what happened," Rosina begged. "Did you
send Arthur Woodward on his way?"
"Oh yes. When I reached home Papa was there and he could see that I was upset. He wanted to know why, and so I had to tell him everything. He was displeased that I had encouraged Mr. Woodward's pretensions, but he forgave me.
"I told him about the last letter, the one in which that man boasted of the match he was about to make, and Papa was furious. He sent for him and told him never to set foot in our house again. Since then Papa has been warning people to have nothing to do with him."
"I am so glad," Rosina said fervently.
"And now Papa wants to speak to you."
Lady Doreen took Rosina's hand and led her to Lord Blakemore, who said gruffly,
"My daughter has told me what she owes you ma'am, and I thank you. Should you ever need anything, you may command me."
"Thank you, sir. I'm only glad to have been able to help my friend."
She smiled at Lady Doreen as she said this.
"And you have been the best possible friend to her," Lord Blakemore said warmly. "It was my intention to back Mr. Woodward as a candidate for the new constituency of South Gradley. But now I have withdrawn my backing. I did not, of course say why, for my daughter's sake. I simply made my lack of enthusiasm known, and I'm happy to say that his candidacy is at an end."
"That's wonderful news," Rosina exclaimed.
"Yes, but don't be too sure you've seen the last of him. He has an ingratiating manner and he'll find another opening in some place where my influence does not extend."
"Is there such a place?" Rosina asked.
"He will discover one. When I think I esteemed him so highly that I was going to let Doreen canvass for him, it fills me with horror."
"But perhaps she can join me in canvassing for Papa," Rosina said.
"That's what she tells me she wants to do. It'll be time for you all to go to the constituencies soon."
"And I should so like to help Sir Elroy win his seat," Lady Doreen said eagerly.
"Of course you may, my dear. Miss Clarendon, I bid you goodnight. And please remember that you have my eternal gratitude."
Almost overwhelmed, Rosina thanked him. She could hardly believe what was happening. Mr. Woodward was defeated. She only wished Sir John could be here to witness her victory.
In fact, any gathering from which he was absent, seemed strangely lacking in interest. If he was here she could at least enjoy a good quarrel with him.
But then, she realised, even if he was here, he would probably be too busy dancing with Lettice Holden to have any thought for herself.
Miss Holden was dancing with George Blakemore, but as the music ended George hailed her and came over to ask Rosina to take the floor with him. She danced with him twice, then with several other highly placed admirers who praised her to the skies. One, a Marquis, was clearly laying the ground for a proposal, until she gently discouraged him.
Finally she went home, filled with relief to have escaped her admirers, who frankly were beginning to bore her.
As she descended from the carriage and approached the front door, something made her turn and look towards the end of the street.
She gasped.
For an instant she had almost imagined that she saw Arthur Woodward standing there, glaring at her.
But the place where she had seen him was empty. She must have imagined it. Then the butler opened the front door and she went inside.
'I'm beginning to imagine things,' she told herself. 'It's Sir John's fault, trying to make me afraid when there's no need. This is my night of triumph, and nothing is going to spoil it. But it's a pity he isn't here to see it.'
These days Sir Elroy was staying later and later at the House of Commons and it was clear that matters were coming to a head.
"The Reform Bill is in its final stages," he told his wife and daughter one evening. "As soon as it's passed,
They drew aside together into a tiny room.
"Tell me what happened," Rosina begged. "Did you
send Arthur Woodward on his way?"
"Oh yes. When I reached home Papa was there and he could see that I was upset. He wanted to know why, and so I had to tell him everything. He was displeased that I had encouraged Mr. Woodward's pretensions, but he forgave me.
"I told him about the last letter, the one in which that man boasted of the match he was about to make, and Papa was furious. He sent for him and told him never to set foot in our house again. Since then Papa has been warning people to have nothing to do with him."
"I am so glad," Rosina said fervently.
"And now Papa wants to speak to you."
Lady Doreen took Rosina's hand and led her to Lord Blakemore, who said gruffly,
"My daughter has told me what she owes you ma'am, and I thank you. Should you ever need anything, you may command me."
"Thank you, sir. I'm only glad to have been able to help my friend."
She smiled at Lady Doreen as she said this.
"And you have been the best possible friend to her," Lord Blakemore said warmly. "It was my intention to back Mr. Woodward as a candidate for the new constituency of South Gradley. But now I have withdrawn my backing. I did not, of course say why, for my daughter's sake. I simply made my lack of enthusiasm known, and I'm happy to say that his candidacy is at an end."
"That's wonderful news," Rosina exclaimed.
"Yes, but don't be too sure you've seen the last of him. He has an ingratiating manner and he'll find another opening in some place where my influence does not extend."
"Is there such a place?" Rosina asked.
"He will discover one. When I think I esteemed him so highly that I was going to let Doreen canvass for him, it fills me with horror."
"But perhaps she can join me in canvassing for Papa," Rosina said.
"That's what she tells me she wants to do. It'll be time for you all to go to the constituencies soon."
"And I should so like to help Sir Elroy win his seat," Lady Doreen said eagerly.
"Of course you may, my dear. Miss Clarendon, I bid you goodnight. And please remember that you have my eternal gratitude."
Almost overwhelmed, Rosina thanked him. She could hardly believe what was happening. Mr. Woodward was defeated. She only wished Sir John could be here to witness her victory.
In fact, any gathering from which he was absent, seemed strangely lacking in interest. If he was here she could at least enjoy a good quarrel with him.
But then, she realised, even if he was here, he would probably be too busy dancing with Lettice Holden to have any thought for herself.
Miss Holden was dancing with George Blakemore, but as the music ended George hailed her and came over to ask Rosina to take the floor with him. She danced with him twice, then with several other highly placed admirers who praised her to the skies. One, a Marquis, was clearly laying the ground for a proposal, until she gently discouraged him.
Finally she went home, filled with relief to have escaped her admirers, who frankly were beginning to bore her.
As she descended from the carriage and approached the front door, something made her turn and look towards the end of the street.
She gasped.
For an instant she had almost imagined that she saw Arthur Woodward standing there, glaring at her.
But the place where she had seen him was empty. She must have imagined it. Then the butler opened the front door and she went inside.
'I'm beginning to imagine things,' she told herself. 'It's Sir John's fault, trying to make me afraid when there's no need. This is my night of triumph, and nothing is going to spoil it. But it's a pity he isn't here to see it.'
These days Sir Elroy was staying later and later at the House of Commons and it was clear that matters were coming to a head.
"The Reform Bill is in its final stages," he told his wife and daughter one evening. "As soon as it's passed,
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