ten o'clock before
She would have her one day 's hunting , and she had secured the presence of Lord Rufford at Mistletoe for Sunday . With such a man as his lordship it was almost impossible to find a moment for confidential conversation . He worked so hard at his amusements that he was as bad a lover as a barrister who has to be in Court all day , -- almost as bad as a sailor who is always going round the world . On this evening it was ten o'clock before the gentlemen came into the drawing-room , and then Lord Rufford 's time was spent in arranging the party for the meet on Monday . When the ladies went up to bed Arabella had had no other opportunity than what Fortune had given her at dinner . And even then she had been watched . That juxtaposition at the dinner-table had come of chance and had been caused by Lord Rufford 's late arrival .