"I am sure Isadore is second best, but Jonathan is best. I don't want you to say so; but if you contradict me I shall stick to it. You remember my telling you that the old woman in the railway said that I was perverse. She was a clever old woman, and knew all about it, for I was perverse. However, it has come all right now, and Jonathan is best of all. Oh, my man -- my man! Is it not sweet to have a man of one's own to love?" If this letter had been written on the day before -- as would have been the case had not Ayala been taken out hunting -- it would have reached Merle Park on the Wednesday, the news would have been made known to Aunt Emmeline, and so conveyed to poor Tom, and that disagreeable journey from Merle Park to Stalham would have been saved. But there was no time for writing on the Monday. The letter was sent away in the Stalham post-bag on the Tuesday evening, and did not reach Merle Park till the Thursday, after Lady Tringle had left the house. Had it been known on that morning that Ayala was engaged to Colonel Stubbs that would have sufficed to send Tom away upon his travels without any more direct messenger from Stalham.
On the Wednesday there was more hunting, and on this day Ayala, having liberated her mind to her lover in Gobblegoose Wood, was able to devote herself more satisfactorily to the amusement in hand. Her engagement was now an old affair. It had already become matter for joking to Sir Harry, and had been discussed even with Mrs Gosling. It was, of course, "a joy for ever' -- but still she was beginning to descend from the clouds and to walk the earth -- no more than a simple queen. When, therefore, the hounds went away and Larry told her that he knew the best way out of the wood, she collected her energies and rode "like a little brick", as Sir Harry said when they got back to Stalham. On that afternoon she received the note from her aunt and replied to it by telegram.
On the Thursday she stayed at home and wrote various letters.
The first was to the Marchesa, and then one to Nina -- in both of which much had to be said about "Jonathan." To Nina also she could repeat her idea of the delight of having a man to love.
Then there was a letter to Aunt Margaret -- which certainly was due, and another to Aunt Emmeline -- which was not however received until after Lady Tringle's visit to Stalham. There was much conversation between her and Lady Albury as to the possible purpose of the visit which was to be made on the morrow. Lady Albury was of opinion that Lady Tringle had heard of the engagement, and was coming with the intention of setting it on one side on Tom's behalf. "But she can't do that, you know," said Ayala, with some manifest alarm. "She is nothing to me now, Lady Albury. She got rid of me, you know. I was changed away for Lucy.""If there had been no changing away, she could do nothing," said Lady Albury.
About a quarter of an hour before the time for lunch on the following day Lady Tringle was shown into the small sitting-room which has been mentioned in a previous chapter, and Ayala, radiant with happiness and beauty, appeared before her. There was a look about her of being at home at Stalham, as though she were almost a daughter of the house, that struck her aunt with surprise.
There was nothing left of that submissiveness which, though Ayala herself had not been submissive, belonged, as of right, to girls so dependent as she and her sister Lucy. "I am so delighted to see you at Stalham," said Ayala, as she embraced her aunt.
"I am come to you", said Lady Tringle, "on a matter of very particular business." Then she paused, and assumed a look of peculiar solemnity.
"Have you got my letter?" demanded Ayala.
"I got your telegram, and I thought it very civil of Lady Albury.