King of the Castle Part 50

"And I am not to touch any of the old man's champagne, eh?"

"We-ell," said the doctor, with a quaint, smile, "Gartram's wine is sure to be good, and a gla.s.s or two will not do you much harm. An exceptional case, my dear sir. A gla.s.s or two will brighten you, and put you in good key for conversation with the ladies."

He smiled, and shook hands warmly with his new patient.

"Don't throw me over by-and-by, Mr Glyddyr," he said. "I have been the family doctor for some time now. There, forgive me. Very indiscreet remark of mine."

"Nothing to forgive, my dear sir. Till this evening, then."

"Till this evening," said the doctor; and Glyddyr went down towards the harbour, with the doctor standing at the window watching him.

"Lucky fellow," he said; "the old man favours it, and the girl--well, girls have to give way."

Volume Two, Chapter VIII.

AFTER DINNER.

"What! you again, Woodham?"

"Yes, sir," said the woman, in her quiet, grave way. "The time soon pa.s.ses. Every three hours."

"Humph! six o'clock," said Gartram, looking at her uneasily, as she shook up the bottle and poured out the accustomed dose.

"Bah! Filthy! Sugar."

There was a lump laid on the little tray, and the big strong man took it as hurriedly as a schoolboy.

"Shall I bring the medicine here at nine, sir?"

"No; those gentlemen will be here smoking, perhaps. Put the next dose in the gla.s.s, and leave it on the chimney-piece. I'll take it when I come in."

"I beg your pardon, sir; but will you remember it?"

"Of course; if I don't, you can remind me. I don't want to have to be taking stuff before visitors, do I?"

Sarah Woodham shook up the medicine, poured out another gla.s.sful, placed it on the mantelpiece as directed, and left the room.

Half-an-hour later, the doctor and Glyddyr arrived together, and were received by Claude, Gartram not being quite dressed.

Five minutes later he came down and hurried into the study, taking out his key as he crossed the room.

"Hallo, little lady," he said sharply, as he found Mary standing by the fireplace with a wine gla.s.s in her hand; "what are you doing here?"

"I was only looking round, uncle," she said quickly, "to see that everything was left straight. You'll have the coffee brought in here, I suppose, after dinner?"

"Yes, of course," he said rashly; "but you ought to be in the drawing-room. What are you doing with that gla.s.s?"

"It is a dirty one, uncle," said the girl, in a hurried manner; "I was going to take it away."

"You please to put it back, and don't meddle with things in my room."

"I'm very sorry, uncle dear," she said; and replacing the gla.s.s quickly, she hurried out of the room.

"I mustn't forget that," said Gartram, as he opened the cabinet in which he kept his cigars, and then joined his guests in the drawing-room.

Five minutes after, dinner was announced, and Glyddyr took in Claude, who trembled as she felt what a quiet, respectful manner he had adopted, and how it seemed to indicate a feeling of satisfied a.s.surance that, sooner or later, she would be his.

It was impossible to be quite calm under the circ.u.mstances; but she strove hard to keep away all such thoughts, and, in her quality of mistress of the house, did the honours of the table admirably, till it was time to rise and leave the gentlemen to their wine.

"We sha'n't sit very long, Claude," said Gartram; "and after a cigar, we shall want some music."

"Yes, papa," said Claude gravely; and she moved toward the door, which Glyddyr had hurried to open, fixing his eyes upon her in a dreamy, pleading way as she went out, and making her catch Mary's arm nervously as soon as they were alone.

"Mary, dear," she said excitedly, "if it were not for papa's health, I should run away to aunt's, and stay there. This man seems so persistent, and his quiet way thoroughly frightens me."

"Sapping and mining, instead of bold a.s.sault," said Mary.

"Shall I ever be such a coward as to consent?"

"Bah! How do we know what may not happen long before it is time to be obliged to say yes."

"Nothing seems likely to happen to set aside my father's wishes," sighed Claude.

"Ah, you don't know. It is the unexpected which they say always happens. So we are to sing to-night?"

"Yes. Is anything the matter with you, Mary, dear?"

"With me?" was the reply, with a forced laugh. "How absurd, dear. No, of course not; nothing. Why, Claude, you are making your great eyes look goggles. You don't think I have done anything, do you?"

"I don't think you can be well, Mary, dear," said Claude, taking her hand and kissing her brow; "why, your hands are cold and your forehead quite hot."

"Of course they are. Haven't we just had dinner?"

Claude looked at her wearily, but her cousin laughed in a quick, excited way, and crossed to the canterbury to begin turning over the music.

"They'll soon be here now," she said.

But there did not seem to be much prospect of the gentlemen coming, for in a very few minutes after they were left alone, Gartram pa.s.sed on the claret jug.

"Wine, gentlemen," he said. "Asher, you would prefer a gla.s.s of old port?"

"Indeed, no, my dear sir; nothing more for me. I have to ask you to excuse me soon."

"What!" cried Gartram.

"For about half-an-hour. A patient."

"What a nuisance!" said Gartram. "Must you go?"