I did not see his lordship until dinner. Though I tried to keep up some conversation, he was brooding and abstracted. He replied to my questions in monosyllables. Eventually I gave up and relapsed into silence myself. 
 At length, he roused himself and looked at me. 
 'I am come to a decision, m'dear.'
 'A decision?’
 'Indeed,' he smiled. 'We are going to pay a visit to my country seat.'
 'Excellent. When are you planning to do so? It will not be before the end of the season I suppose?'
 'You suppose wrongly. We are leaving tomorrow.'
 'Tomorrow! But Hardley, I cannot possibly be ready to leave by tomorrow. I'm expecting a delivery from the dressmakers any day, not to mentions all the i...

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