Driving back to London the Earl thought that everything was very different from what he had expected.
He could not believe that, having made his first proposal of marriage, he had been left in suspense with neither a ‘yes’ nor a ‘no’.
He was not in the least certain, however, what he should do about it.
Because he felt upset, he went to White’s Club to find his friends. As he went in, he saw Lord William Dale sitting by himself in a corner at the far end of the Morning Room.
On an impulse he walked up to him and sat down next to him.
“My Lord, I have just proposed to your daughter!” he began somewhat aggressively.
The gloom on Lord William’s face vanished and he sat upright.
“My dear boy,” he exclaimed, “that is the best news I have had in years.”
He put out his hand.
“My warmest
