As judge in the matter he had chosen Lady Cantrip, and Lady Cantrip had given judgment against him.
He had pressed Lady Cantrip for a decided opinion, and she had told him that she, in the same position, would have done just as Mrs.Finn had done.

He had constituted Lady Cantrip his judge, and had resolved that her judgment should be final.

He declared to himself that he did not understand it.

If a man's house be on fire, do you think of certain rules of etiquette before you bid him send for the engines?
If a wild beast be loose, do you go through some ceremony before you caution the wanderers abroad?
There should not have been a moment! But, nevertheless, it was now necessary that he should conform himself to the opinion of Lady Cantrip, and in doing so he must apologise for the bitter scorn with which he had allowed himself to treat his wife's most loyal and loving friend.
The few words to the Duke had not been difficult, but this letter seemed to be an Herculean task.

It was made infinitely more difficult by the fact that Lady Cantrip had not seemed to think that this marriage was impossible.