The Bramleighs of Bishop's Folly Part 26

"Who is Longworth?" asked Cutbill. "Philip Long-worth?"

"A neighbor of ours; we are not acquainted, but we know that there is such a person," said Colonel Bramleigh.

"He opines," continued Cutbill, "that this vein of ours runs direct from his land, and I suspect he's not wrong; and he wants to know what we mean to do,--he 'll either sell or buy. He came over this morning to Kilmannock with a French friend, and we took our breakfast together.

Nice fellows, both of them, and wide awake, too; especially the Frenchman. He was with Lesseps in Egypt, in what capacity I couldn't find out; but I see he's a shrewd fellow."

"With Lesseps?" said Colonel Bramleigh, showing a quicker and more eager interest than before; for his lawyer had told him that the French claimant to his property had been engaged on the works of the Suez Ca.n.a.l.

"Yes; he spoke as if he knew Lesseps well, and talked of the whole undertaking like one who understood it."

"And what is he doing here?"

"Writing a book, I fancy; an Irish tour,--one of those mock sentimentalities with bad politics and false morality Frenchmen ventilate about England. He goes poking into the cabins and asking the people about their grievances; and now he says he wants to hear the other side, and learn what the gentlemen say."

"We 'll have to ask him over here," said Colonel Bramleigh, coolly, as if the thought had occurred to him then for the first time.

"He'll amuse you, I promise you," said Cutbill.

"I'd like to meet him," said Jack. "I had the ill-luck to bowl him over in the hunting-field, and cost him a broken leg. I 'd like to make all the excuses in my power to him."

"He bears no malice about it; he said it was all his own fault, and that you did your best to pick him up, but your horse bolted with you."

"Let's have him to dinner by all means," said Augustus; "and now that Temple has made a formal visit, I take it we might invite him by a polite note."

"You must wait till he returns the call," said Marion, stiffly.

"Not if we want to show a courteous desire to make his acquaintance,"

said Temple. "Attentions can be measured as nicely and as minutely as medicaments."

"All I say," said Jack, "is, have him soon, or I may chance to miss him; and I 'm rather curious to have a look at him."

Colonel Bramleigh turned a full look at Jack, as though his words had some hidden meaning in them; but the frank and easy expression of the sailor's face rea.s.sured him at once.

"I hope the fellow won't put us in his book," said Temple. "You are never quite safe with these sort of people."

"Are we worth recording?" asked Jack, with a laugh.

Temple was too indignant to make any answer, and Cutbill went on: "The authorship is only a suspicion of mine, remember. It was from seeing him constantly jotting down little odds and ends in his note-book that I came to that conclusion; and Frenchmen are not much given to minute inquiries if they have not some definite object in view."

Again was Bramleigh's attention arrested; but, as before, he saw that the speaker meant no more than the words in their simplest acceptance conveyed.

A violent ringing of the door-bell startled the company; and after a moment's pause of expectancy a servant entered to say that a Government messenger had arrived with some important despatches for Lord Culduff, which required personal delivery and acceptance.

"Will you step up, Mr. Cutbill, and see if his Lordship is In his room?"

"I'll answer for it he 's not," said Jack to his father.

Cutbill rose, however, and went on his mission; but instead of returning to the dining-room, it was perceived that he proceeded to find the messenger, and conduct him upstairs.

"Well, Nelly," said Marion, in a whisper, "what do you say now; is it so certain that it was Lord Culduff you saw this morning?"

"I don't know what to make of it. I was fully as sure as Jack was."

"I'll wager he's been offered Paris," said Temple, gravely.

"Offered Paris?" cried Jack; "what do you mean?"

"I mean the emba.s.sy, of course," replied he, contemptuously. "Without,"

added he, "they want him in the Cabinet."

"And is it really by men like this the country is governed?" said Nelly, with a boldness that seemed the impulse of indignation.

"I 'm afraid so," said Marion, scornfully. "Mr. Canning and Lord Palmerston were men very like this,--were they not, Temple?"

"Precisely; Lord Culduff is exactly of the same order, however humble the estimate Ellen may form of such people."

"I 'm all impatience for the news," said Augustus. "I wish Cutbill would come down at once."

"I 'll take the odds that he goes to F. O.," said Temple.

"What the deuce could he do in China?" cried Jack, whose ear had led him into a cruel blunder.

Temple scarcely smiled at what savored of actual irreverence, and added, "If so, I 'll ask to be made private secretary."

"Mr. Temple, sir, his Lordship would be glad to see you upstairs for a moment," said a footman, entering. And Temple arose and left the room, with a pride that might have accompanied him if summoned to a cabinet council.

"More mysteries of State," cried Jack. "I declare, girls, the atmosphere of political greatness is almost suffocating me. I wonder how Cutty stands it!"

A general move into the drawing-room followed this speech; and as Jack sauntered in he slipped his arm within Nelly's and led her towards a window. "I can't bear this any longer, Nelly,--I must trip my anchor and move away. I 'd as soon be lieutenant to a port admiral as live here.

You're all grown too fine for me."

"That's not it at all, Jack," said she, smiling. "I see how you 've been trying to bully yourself by bullying us this hour back; but it will be all right to-morrow. We 'll go over to the cottage after breakfast."

"You may; _I'll_ not, I promise you," said he, blushing deeply.

"Yes, you will, my dear Jack," said she, coaxingly; "and you 'll be the first to laugh at your own foolish jealousy besides,--if Julia is not too angry with you to make laughing possible."

"She may be angry or pleased, it's all one to me now," said he, pa.s.sionately. "When I told her she was a coquette, I did n't believe it; but, by Jove, she has converted me to the opinion pretty quickly!"

"You 're a naughty boy, and you 're in a bad humor, and I'll say no more to you now."

"Say it now, I advise you, if you mean to say it," said he, shortly; but she laughed at his serious face, and turned away without speaking.

"Is n't the cabinet council sitting late?" asked Augustus of Marion.

"They have been nigh two hours in conference."

"I take it it must be something of importance," replied she.

"Isn't Cutbill in it?" asked Augustus, mockingly.