Was her mother afraid that Arthur would do something silly
and public when they came down! Not the least likely! He had plenty of
opportunities in London, with no local opinion, and no mother to worry him.
Yet when Parliament reassembled, and Arthur, with an offhand good-by to his
mother, went back to his duties, Marcia in vain suggested to Lady Coryston
that they also should return to St. James's Square, partly to keep an eye
on the backslider, partly with a view to "fittings," Lady Coryston curtly
replied, that Marcia might have a motor whenever she pleased, to take her
up to town, but that she herself meant for another fortnight to stay at
Coryston. Marcia, much puzzled, could only write to James to beg him to
play watch-dog; well aware, however, that if Arthur chose to press the
pace, James could do nothing whatever to stop him.
On the day before the Glenwilliam meeting Lady Coryston, who had gone out
westward through the park, was returning by motor from the direction of
Martover, and reached her own big and prosperous village of Coryston Major
about seven o'clock. She had been holding conference with a number of
persons in the old borough of Martover, persons who might be trusted to
turn a Radical meeting into a howling inferno, if the smallest chink of
opportunity were given them; and she was conscious of a good afternoon's
work.
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