By the middle of February arrangements had all been made, and Violet
met her lover at his father's house. She in the meantime had been
with her aunt, and had undergone a good deal of mild unceasing
persecution. "My dear Violet," said her aunt to her on her arrival
at Baddingham, speaking with a solemnity that ought to have been
terrible to the young lady, "I do not know what to say to you."
"Say 'how d'you do?' aunt," said Violet.
"I mean about this engagement," said Lady Baldock, with an increase
of awe-inspiring severity in her voice.
"Say nothing about it at all, if you don't like it," said Violet.
"How can I say nothing about it? How can I be silent? Or how am I to
congratulate you?"
"The least said, perhaps, the soonest mended," and Violet smiled as
she spoke.
"That is very well, and if I had no duty to perform, I would be
silent. But, Violet, you have been left in my charge. If I see you
shipwrecked in life, I shall ever tell myself that the fault has been
partly mine."
"Nay, aunt, that will be quite unnecessary. I will always admit that
you did everything in your power to--to--to--make me run straight, as
the sporting men say."
"Sporting men! Oh, Violet."
"And you know, aunt, I still hope that I shall be found to have kept
on the right side of the posts.
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