Luttrell Of Arran Part 59

The dinner was exquisite; and young Ladarelle enjoyed, not alone the good cheer, but the freedom of being alone with one to whom he could talk without any reserve.

"You don't half know what a charity you've done," said he, "in asking me here to-day. That dreary old place was killing me. My governor is not what people call jolly. Old Sir Within is about the greatest prig I ever met; and as for the ward, she is either insufferably impertinent, or downright under bred."

"She is exceedingly beautiful, however," said Grenfell, smiling.

"At times--yes; I'll not dispute that. But she has a something half supercilious, half silly, occasionally, that I don't like. Do you think her clever?"

"I have no means of knowing.. I never met her till yesterday. Old Wardle declares that there never was her equal--that she learns whatever she likes, without any labour; but it's easy enough to understand infatuation at his age, and he _does_ seem to admire her vastly," said Grenfell, slowly.

"I'd say the old fellow was madly in love with her, if the idea was not too absurd; not that it would be a laughing matter for me, though--very far from it."

"How do you mean?"

"I told you last night, that if he were to marry, he can charge the estate with a settlement. But that's not the whole of it. Sir Hugh Rivers says that, if he should have a direct heir! O, yes--it's all very fine laughing; but the world has seen some such cases."

"Very true," said Grenfell; "and we all know what Lord Stowell said of them."

"I know nothing about Lord Stowell; but I know this, that it's no pleasant thing to think there's a flaw in what one was once sure of. I used to fancy myself as much the owner of Dalradern as though Sir Within Wardle was only a tenant."

"I scarcely think, if I was in your place, I'd fret myself about the contingency you speak of," said Grenfell.

"I'll not go so far as to say I fret about it. I don't exactly do that; but it worries me in certain ways."

"I understand," said Grenfell; "it makes the Jews more difficult to deal with--more captious about post obits."

"You have it exactly. That fellow Joel--I can't imagine how he came at it--said to me, t'other day, 'I don't like my security, Mr. Dolly; it ain't what I used to think it was.' And what do you think I'm paying him all the time?"

"Ten--perhaps fifteen--per cent."

"Guess again."

"Twenty?--surely not more than twenty-five?"

"Forty--ay, forty per cent.! And when I was let in so heavily last May on 'Grampus,' I stood for the whole of Cloudsley's lot, old Joel refused to renew under sixty per cent.! He even threatened he'd go up to Leadenhall-street and have a talk with my governor." "Which might not have been pleasant."

"I believe you. The governor has only to know that I've been betting in the ring to scratch my name out of the bank to-morrow, and cut me off root and branch. You haven't an idea what these old 'dons' in the banking world think of what they call 'the house.' When my father speaks of 'the house,' he means something that represents the honour of all the Ladarelles--not alone since Adam, but the unborn partners that are to discount and keep deposits for centuries to come. Maybe you have not mixed with these sort of people?"

"Very little; but I have heard tell of their prejudices," said Gren-fell, with the very faintest tinge of colour in his cheek as he spoke.

"That's just what my governor is. After the bank comes the monarchy with him; so that you see I must be cautious."

"I know something of Master Joel. It is rather his interest to stand well with me; and, if you like, I will just give him a gentle hint to keep quiet, and not create any disturbance."

"Oh, would you? By Jove! I'll take it as a great service to me. The fact is, I've been going it rather fast. Hawkshaw 'let me in' pretty heavily on 'Caithness,' and then Blunden, as you know, levanted; so that our last settling day was rather a dark morning to me."

"Have you any other creditors than Joel?"

"Nothing very heavy. I owe Davis----"

"Grog?"

"Yes--Grog Davis. I owe him about two thousand; but he never presses.

Grog's a gentleman in that respect. It's only when a fellow 'hums' and 'hahs' about whether the thing was all square or not; that's what Grog won't stand a moment. He'll insist on his money then; and, what's more, he'll have a shot at you, too, if he can get it."

"Yes, but he'll have his money first. I never heard of Grog Davis shooting at a solvent debtor yet."

"You know him, that's plain enough," said Dolly, laughing.

"Who could have been about town the last ten or fifteen years and not known him? I rather like him, too."

"So do I," cried Ladarelle, eagerly, and as though it relieved his heart of a weight to make the confession. "Say what they will of Grog Davis, he's a fellow to do a right good-natured thing; and as for advice, there's not a man in the clubs I'd as soon go to as to him."

"He has a deal of worldly wit, that's certain."

"Ay, and he has more. He knows the exact way to treat every one.

I've seen him go up and take the Duke of Dullworth by the arm just as familiarly as you'd take me."

"Yes, when the Duke wanted him; he might do that."

Dolly paused for some minutes, and seemed to reflect. He was, indeed, reflecting and considering with himself whether he would make a clean breast of it, and tell Grenfell all--everything that he had on his mind, and everything that he had done in consequence. At length, he appeared to have formed his decision; and, pus.h.i.+ng his gla.s.s from before him, he leaned his arm on the table, and addressed Grenfell in a voice of most confidential meaning.

"I wrote to Grog since _I_ came here," said he, significantly. "I told him all about old Wardle, and as much as I could make out about his ward. It wasn't much; but I added whatever I suspected, and I asked what he thought of it. He answered me by the same post."

"And what did he say?" asked Grenfell, for the other had come to a dead stop.

"I only got the letter as I stepped into the carriage, and glanced my eye over it. Shall I read it for you? It's very short."

"Read it, then, by all means."

"Here it is," said he, producing a very square-shaped sheet of paper, with a large seal of coa.r.s.e wax attached, evidence that it had not been encased in an envelope:

"'Dear Dol! That's his way, he'd be intimate with his Royal Highness.

'Dear Dol, your note was writ like one of the queries to _Bell's Life_, and in the same spirit I answer it. The old cove means to marry her----'

Eh, what?"

"I did not speak--go on."

"'The old cove means to marry her, and cut you out of the estate, just as Tom Barkely wag done by Rixley Drummond--only that Tom was offered the girl first, and wouldn't have her.'"

"He's all right there. Tom Barkely's obstinacy cost him about sixteen thousand a year, and sent him out to India as a major in a marching regiment," said Grenfell. "Go on."

"'This is my opinion,' he puts two n's to opinion, and it makes it read all the more stubborn, 'and as for the remedy, Master Dolly, all I can say is, there ain't two ways about it--there ain't two ways about it,"

repeated Ladarelle, slowly, and as though weighing each word as he uttered it. "Now, will you tell me, what does he mean by that?"

"Read it over again."

"'This is my opinion; and as for the remedy, Master Dolly, there ain't too ways about it.--Yours, C. D.'"