Whither Thou Goest Part 7

But, presently, after the first rhapsodies had pa.s.sed, they began to talk soberly.

Guy had to state that his father, splendid old fellow as he was, none better, was very prejudiced and, as his son put it with more than filial frankness, "as obstinate as a mule."

Isobel nodded her pretty dark head. "I understand quite. He will want you to marry in your own station of life, choose a girl who has been brought up in the same world."

Guy nodded. "You've hit it. A sort of girl who would know, by inherited instinct, all the sort of tricks that are expected from an amba.s.sador's wife. You see, I take it for granted I am going to be an amba.s.sador."

Isobel looked at him fondly. In her present rapturous mood, she thought he could be anything he liked, if he gave his mind to it.

Then Guy spoke quite gravely and seriously.

"Now, we have got to consider the two fathers, yours and mine. We will take yours first, because I think he'll do whatever you tell him."

"He generally does," replied Isobel, with a smile that showed all her dimples.

"Good. I leave to-morrow, you are off the day after. Don't tell him anything till you get back to Eastbourne. Then let him know exactly what has pa.s.sed between us to-day, that I have admitted frankly I shall have a hard job on my part. I want to get my father's consent, because I wish you to be welcomed by the family. Dear old Aunt Henrietta will never interfere with me, she's too good a sort."

"Yes," answered Isobel happily. "I will tell him all that."

"And please add that I should wish to come down to Eastbourne, as soon as convenient to him, and put all the facts before him. I want first to get his consent, and I know I am asking it under peculiar circ.u.mstances."

A slight cloud gathered over the girl's lovely face. "I am quite sure of my darling old dad," she said. "I'm a little afraid of yours."

"There's nothing to be frightened of, sweetheart," said her lover confidently. "Whether he gives his consent or not, you are going to be my wife. I'm quite independent of him. But, as I said just now, I would prefer to bring him round before, instead of after."

"But do you think that possible?" inquired Isobel anxiously.

Guy reflected. "It's a pretty even chance," he said presently. "And, you see. I've got Mary on my side."

Isobel lifted questioning eyes. "You have never spoken of Mary before.

Who is she? I suppose your sister?"

"Yes, my sister, and the sweetest, dearest girl in the wide world. Just an angel without the wings, and they are growing, I believe. Not that she is meek and mild, and all that sort of thing. She can hit out as straight from the shoulder as a man when she chooses. But tell her a tale of two true lovers, and she will never be happy till she brings them together."

"What a darling!" cried Isobel, in deep admiration. "How I should love to meet her."

"No difficulty about that," answered Guy easily. "As soon as I have arranged matters with the General, we will fix up a little lunch in London. You bring your father up; I'll bring Mary up."

"How lovely!" sighed Isobel. Truly, a new world, a delightful world, was opening to her.

The Clandons returned to their modest little nest at Eastbourne. On the first evening of their return, Isobel, sitting on a low footstool close to the General's chair, told him the wonderful story of Guy Rossett's love for her, of her love for Guy.

Her father listened sympathetically. He was intensely proud that his beloved daughter had chanced upon a wooer worthy of her. He had never dared to hope for such an alliance. Isobel was deserving of any Fairy Prince, but where was the Fairy Prince to come from?

But he was wise and experienced. It would not be all fair sailing, there were rocks ahead. Guy had himself admitted that the Earl of Saxham would prove a formidable obstacle. The General agreed that, were he in Lord Saxham's place, he would not give his consent too readily.

He kissed his daughter tenderly, half pleased, half regretful to see the intense lovelight in her eyes as she spoke of her adored lover.

"Yes, tell Guy to come and see me as soon as he likes, and we will talk over the difficulties," he said kindly. "I liked the young fellow very much, from the little I saw of him. I am sure he is a gentleman, and I believe him to be straight."

Isobel looked up a little reproachfully. Her father's guarded words seemed to convey very faint praise of her peerless lover.

"Oh, dad," she cried reproachfully. "Guy is the soul of honour."

Rossett came down, and had a long interview with General Clandon. He was quite frank and manly. He would marry Isobel whether his father consented or not; so far as financial matters stood, he was perfectly independent. Still, for many reasons, it was better to exercise a little prudence, and coax the Earl into agreement.

The General agreed. "Much better, Rossett. The question of her being received by your family or not will make a great difference to her at the start. In the years to come, it may make a great difference to you.

You don't want to cut yourself off from your kith and kin."

Rossett was of the same opinion. The General agreed to a private engagement. Guy gave his betrothed a beautiful ring which she did not dare openly to display. She looked at it several times a day, and kissed it every night before she went to sleep.

Guy had lost no time in approaching his father, and the Earl had received the news in the worst spirit. He had stormed, and broken out into one of his furious, ungovernable rages.

"You are simply an idiot. With my influence with the Government, there is no knowing where I can push you to." He seemed to take it for granted that his son could not help himself. "You must marry a woman in your own cla.s.s, a woman who can help you in your career. And then you propose to me some obscure chit of a girl, who lives in a cottage at Eastbourne."

Guy argued calmly that Isobel was a lady, and of good family. Certainly her father was not a rich man, this much he had to admit.

The Earl would not listen to reason. He brushed aside all his son's pleadings. He recovered from his first rage, but he wound up the discussion in a voice of deadly calm.

"You can do as you choose, Guy. You are quite independent, and I daresay if you married a shop girl it would make no difference to your aunt. But please understand this. From the day you make Isobel Clandon your wife, all is over between us. I wash my hands of you. Not a penny of my money, not an atom of my influence. You understand."

"I quite understand, sir. You force me to choose between yourself and Isobel. Well, if you persist in your determination, I shall choose Isobel. But I am in hopes you will change your mind."

"Never," snapped out the Earl viciously. "Go to the devil your own way, as soon as you like. Fancy a manlike you being caught by a baby face."

But Guy smiled to himself. Lord Saxham was a very obstinate man, also a very irritable one. But his bark was worse than his bite. He had often climbed down before. And there was Lady Mary to be reckoned with, who, as a rule, could twist her father round her little finger, even if the process involved some time.

Lord Saxham betook himself next day to the all-powerful Mr Greatorex.

He hinted to that impa.s.sive gentleman that he wanted to get his son abroad. Mr Greatorex elevated his finely arched eyebrows. "The usual thing, I suppose? An entanglement of some sort?"

"Wants to marry a woman who will ruin his career," answered the Earl tersely.

"A chorus-girl or something of that sort?" queried Greatorex. He knew that Guy Rossett had mixed in a somewhat fast set, and was prepared to expect the worst of him. "Or, perhaps, a doubtful widow?" He had heard rumours of him and Violet Hargrave.

Lord Saxham shook his head. "No, neither; but just as bad from my point of view. A girl, technically a lady, but no family to speak of, no fortune. He'd marry for love, and tire of her in six months, misery for her as well as for him."

The Honourable Rupert Greatorex was the scion of a very ancient family himself. He had a proper detestation of mesalliances.

"I will do my best," he said cordially. "He shall have the first thing going."

He had watched the career of young Rossett, as he had watched the career of every young man in the Foreign Office. Guy had not shown himself, up to the present, very zealous. He was more inclined to play than to work, and he foregathered with some very queer people.

But he did not lack brains. From some of the strange people with whom he a.s.sociated, he had gleaned some rather valuable information which he had placed at Mr Greatorex's disposal.

If he was sent to Spain, he might turn out a useful member of the vast diplomatic corps, and he would be separated from this charming young woman, of no family to speak of, and no fortune. And Greatorex would be obliging a staunch supporter of the Government. Hence the appointment which Guy fondly believed he had secured through his own merits.

While his father was scheming to thwart what he considered his son's ill-advised wooing, Guy had enlisted Mary for an ally.

Mary, the friend of all true lovers, only asked two questions. First, Was she a lady? Second, Were they quite sure they really loved each other?