bit steep, but I shall come about.”
“What was it? Pharaoh?”
“Deep basset. It was my weakness. And talking of weaknesses,” continued Sir Peregrine with a deft turn of subject, “ain’t it time you was thinking of dropping the handkerchief? Not a pleasant thought, I’ll grant you, but you owe it to the family, dear boy.”
“I’m in no hurry,” returned the Earl with surprising mildness. “The succession is secure with Jamie.”
“Aye — but is it enough? I mean — God forbid that anything should happen to the lad, but if it did, then everything goes to that damned half-wit, Frampton!” Sir Peregrine shuddered. “Don’t bear thinking of ... the fellow’s as wet as a plaguey fish! Heard you was in a fair way to offering for Lipscombe’s daughter ... good connections there, m’boy ... fine breeding stock, too, and not a bad-looking little filly! Could do worse, if you can stomach the mother.”
His nephew’s face gave nothing away. “If and when I contemplate matrimony, Uncle — you will be among the first to know. And now, if you please, may we return to your debts?”
“ Fiend take it, I haven’t come to pick your pockets, lad! I just thought it prudent to leave Town for a while.”
“Bad as that, was it?”
“ The duns at my door,” confessed Sir Peregrine with a wry smile. “Beats me how they get wind. A fine thing it would be an’ I started pandering to their paltry demands! You won’t believe this, dear boy—I tried this new-fangled tailor ... Ormskirk reckoned he was all the crack, so I let him make me a coat or two ... fellow had the impudence to send in his bill! Coats weren’t at all the thing either! Couldn’t show my face at Boodle’s in one of ’em! It’s Weston for me from now on.”
The Earl heard him out in patience, then repeated inexorably, “How much all told, Uncle?”
Sir Peregrine quoted a sum which his nephew accepted without blenching.
“You had best furnish my secretary with a list of the whole,” he said briefly.
“Oh, come now, Max! That’s taking generosity too far! No objection to your settling my gaming debts—cursed embarrassing owing friends...”
“Quite so.”
“ ... but you don’t want to be troubling your head over the rest! I don’t, I assure you.”
The Earl pushed back his chair and stood up. “I pay all—or none, Uncle. The choice is yours. Now, shall we join the ladies?”
“As you will, dear boy,” said his uncle philosophically. “And what will you do about this Hardman business?”
“For the moment,” said the Earl, “nothing.”
7
In spite of the setback, Felicity was determined that the children should not be denied their Christmas concert. An appeal to Mr. Becket brought a hasty coat of paint to the walls and temporary seating.
The concert was a triumph. Lord Stayne put in a last-minute appearance, also Sir Peregrine, Amaryllis, and Jamie. Their presence put everyone on their mettle and the children behaved beautifully. She was proud of them and though she kept a wary eye on Jamie and Lanny Price, they both seemed overawed by the occasion.
Between Felicity and Ester, however, there was a distinct coolness. Ester had taken strong exception to having her affairs divulged to the Earl without her permission and no amount of persuasion would move her to seek his help.
Sir Peregrine stayed on for Christmas. There was quite a large house party, and with the prospect of some good shooting and congenial company, he was not hard to persuade. When the guests departed, he still showed little inclination to return to Town.
He liked to drive with Felicity in the gig. It was on one of these outings that they heard raised voices and came upon a knot of people milling around the boundary wall of Manor Court. The gate, with its grim warnings to trespassers, swung open. One or two women, hearing the gig, turned.
“’Tis Miss Vale!”
‘ Oh, miss—it don’t seem right! The lad don’t know no better nor to
“What was it? Pharaoh?”
“Deep basset. It was my weakness. And talking of weaknesses,” continued Sir Peregrine with a deft turn of subject, “ain’t it time you was thinking of dropping the handkerchief? Not a pleasant thought, I’ll grant you, but you owe it to the family, dear boy.”
“I’m in no hurry,” returned the Earl with surprising mildness. “The succession is secure with Jamie.”
“Aye — but is it enough? I mean — God forbid that anything should happen to the lad, but if it did, then everything goes to that damned half-wit, Frampton!” Sir Peregrine shuddered. “Don’t bear thinking of ... the fellow’s as wet as a plaguey fish! Heard you was in a fair way to offering for Lipscombe’s daughter ... good connections there, m’boy ... fine breeding stock, too, and not a bad-looking little filly! Could do worse, if you can stomach the mother.”
His nephew’s face gave nothing away. “If and when I contemplate matrimony, Uncle — you will be among the first to know. And now, if you please, may we return to your debts?”
“ Fiend take it, I haven’t come to pick your pockets, lad! I just thought it prudent to leave Town for a while.”
“Bad as that, was it?”
“ The duns at my door,” confessed Sir Peregrine with a wry smile. “Beats me how they get wind. A fine thing it would be an’ I started pandering to their paltry demands! You won’t believe this, dear boy—I tried this new-fangled tailor ... Ormskirk reckoned he was all the crack, so I let him make me a coat or two ... fellow had the impudence to send in his bill! Coats weren’t at all the thing either! Couldn’t show my face at Boodle’s in one of ’em! It’s Weston for me from now on.”
The Earl heard him out in patience, then repeated inexorably, “How much all told, Uncle?”
Sir Peregrine quoted a sum which his nephew accepted without blenching.
“You had best furnish my secretary with a list of the whole,” he said briefly.
“Oh, come now, Max! That’s taking generosity too far! No objection to your settling my gaming debts—cursed embarrassing owing friends...”
“Quite so.”
“ ... but you don’t want to be troubling your head over the rest! I don’t, I assure you.”
The Earl pushed back his chair and stood up. “I pay all—or none, Uncle. The choice is yours. Now, shall we join the ladies?”
“As you will, dear boy,” said his uncle philosophically. “And what will you do about this Hardman business?”
“For the moment,” said the Earl, “nothing.”
7
In spite of the setback, Felicity was determined that the children should not be denied their Christmas concert. An appeal to Mr. Becket brought a hasty coat of paint to the walls and temporary seating.
The concert was a triumph. Lord Stayne put in a last-minute appearance, also Sir Peregrine, Amaryllis, and Jamie. Their presence put everyone on their mettle and the children behaved beautifully. She was proud of them and though she kept a wary eye on Jamie and Lanny Price, they both seemed overawed by the occasion.
Between Felicity and Ester, however, there was a distinct coolness. Ester had taken strong exception to having her affairs divulged to the Earl without her permission and no amount of persuasion would move her to seek his help.
Sir Peregrine stayed on for Christmas. There was quite a large house party, and with the prospect of some good shooting and congenial company, he was not hard to persuade. When the guests departed, he still showed little inclination to return to Town.
He liked to drive with Felicity in the gig. It was on one of these outings that they heard raised voices and came upon a knot of people milling around the boundary wall of Manor Court. The gate, with its grim warnings to trespassers, swung open. One or two women, hearing the gig, turned.
“’Tis Miss Vale!”
‘ Oh, miss—it don’t seem right! The lad don’t know no better nor to
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