She was, therefore, not a little surprised when he announced to her an alteration in his plans.

This he did not many hours after the Duke of St.Bungay had left him at the Treasury Chambers.

"I think I shall go down with you at once to Gatherum," he said.
"What is the meaning of that ?" The Duchess was not skilled in hiding her feelings, at any rate from him, and declared to him at once by her voice and eye that the proposed change was not gratifying to her.
"It will be better.

I had thought that I would get a quiet day or two at Matching.

But as the thing has to be done, it may as well be done at first.