Explore "The American Senator" by Anthony Trollope on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Here is the letter which at his brother-in-law's advice Lord Rufford wrote to Arabella:
Rufford, 3 February, 1875. / My dear Miss Trefoil, / It is a great grief to me that I should have to answer your letter in a manner that will I fear not be satisfactory to you. I can only say that you have altogether mistaken me if you think that I have said anything which was intended as an offer of marriage. I cannot but be much flattered by your good opinion. I have had much pleasure from our acquaintance, and I should have been glad if it could have been continued. But I have had no thoughts of marriage. If I have said a word which has, unintentionally on my part, given rise to such an idea I can only beg your pardon heartily. If I were to add more after what I have now said perhaps you would take it as an impertinence. / Yours most sincerely, / Rufford.