Once he behaved with such coarse brutality that
nothing but an abject apology would serve the turn. He made the abject
apology, and after that became conscious that his wings were clipped, and
that he must do as he was bidden. Lord George took him away, and brought
him back again, and blew him up; and at last, under pressure from Mrs.
Carbuncle, made him consent to the fixing of a day. The marriage was to
take place during the first week in April. When the party moved from
Portray he was to go up to London and see his lawyer. Settlements were to
be arranged, and something was to be fixed as to future residence.
In the midst of all this Lucinda was passive as regarded the making of the
arrangements, but very troublesome to those around her as to her immediate
mode of life. Even to Lady Eustace she was curt and uncivil. To her aunt
she was at times ferocious. She told Lord George more than once to his
face that he was hurrying her to perdition.
"What the d---- is it you want?" Lord George said to her.
"Not to be married to this man."
"But you have accepted him. I didn't ask you to take him. You don't want
to go into a workhouse, I suppose?"
Then she rode so hard that all the Ayrshire lairds were startled out of
their propriety, and there was a general fear that she would meet some
terrible accident.
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