The Prime Minister by Anthony Trollope — Read

Certainly the thing was done very well by Lady Glen -- as many in the political world persisted in calling her even in these days. She had not as yet quite carried out her plan -- the doing of which would have required her to reconcile her husband to some excessive abnormal expenditure, and to have obtained from him a deliberate sanction for appropriation and probable sale of property. She never could find the proper moment for doing this, having, with all her courage -- low down in some corner of her heart -- a wholesome fear of a certain quiet power which her husband possessed. She could not bring herself to make her proposition; -- but she almost acted as though it had been made and approved. Her house was always gorgeous with flowers. Of course there would be the bill; -- and he, when he saw the exotics, and the whole place turned into a bower of ever fresh blooming floral glories, must know that there would be the bill.

And when he found that there was an archducal dinner-party every week, and an almost imperial reception twice a week; that at these receptions a banquet was always provided; when he was asked whether she might buy a magnificent pair of bay carriage-horses, as to which she assured him that nothing so lovely had ever as yet been seen stepping in the streets of London -- of course he must know that the bills would come. It was better, perhaps, to do it in this way, than to make any direct proposition. And then, early in June, she spoke to him as to the guests to be invited to Gatherum Castle in August. "Do you want to go to Gatherum in August? " he asked in surprise. For she hated the place, and had hardly been content to spend ten days there every year at Christmas.