The Wicked Marquis Part 43

"We have never denied that," Let.i.tia admitted drily. "We are keeping house now upon the first quarter's rent."

"Is it my fancy," her aunt continued, stooping to pick herself a sprig of lavender, "or do you really dislike Mr. Thain?"

"Intensely!" Let.i.tia confessed with emphasis.

The d.u.c.h.ess was surprised.

"Well, really!" she exclaimed. "And to me he seems such a harmless, inoffensive person, absolutely without self-consciousness and not in the least b.u.mptious."

"What on earth has he to be b.u.mptious about?" Let.i.tia scoffed. "He has simply made a lot of money out of other people."

"That shows brains, at least," her aunt reminded her.

"Cunning!" Let.i.tia retorted.

The d.u.c.h.ess twirled the sprig of lavender between her fingers. She could not remember ever to have heard her niece so much in earnest.

"Well, I hope you don't feel too strongly about him," she said. "I must have him asked to dinner while I am here."

"We have antic.i.p.ated your wishes," Let.i.tia remarked. "He is coming to-night."

"I am very glad to hear it," was the satisfied reply. "I shall do my best to persuade him to come up to Scotland later on. There is nothing that Henry enjoys more than a little flutter in American railways.

Perhaps he will help us to make some money."

"Personally," Let.i.tia said slowly, "I should be very careful how I trusted Mr. Thain."

The d.u.c.h.ess was shocked.

"You carry your aversions too far, my dear," she remonstrated.

"Perhaps, I only know that he sold father a lot of shares which it is my profound conviction are entirely worthless."

"Sold your father shares?" the d.u.c.h.ess repeated. "I don't understand.

How on earth could Reginald pay for any shares!"

"He gave what is called an acceptance," Let.i.tia explained. "It falls due in about six weeks."

The d.u.c.h.ess smiled. She had a great idea of her own capacity for business.

"My dear," she said, "if between now and then the shares have not improved sufficiently for your father to make a profitable sale, Mr.

Thain can extend the time of payment by renewing the bill."

"You have more confidence in Mr. Thain than I have," Let.i.tia remarked drily.

Her aunt was a little puzzled. She decided to change the conversation.

"Where is Charles this morning?" she enquired.

"In the library with father. They are discussing possible settlements.

I thought that sort of thing was always left to lawyers."

"I hope you are happier about your marriage than you seem," her aunt observed. "Charles is quite a _parti_, in a way, you know, although he is not rich."

"Oh, I suppose it may as well be Charles as any one else," Let.i.tia a.s.sented, a little drearily.

The d.u.c.h.ess shook her head.

"You need a change, my dear," she declared. "I hate to hear you talk like that, especially as you are by way of being one of those single-minded young persons who must find everything in marriage or else be profoundly unhappy. I am not at all sure that you ought to have considered the question of marriage until you were in love."

"Thank you," Let.i.tia retorted, "I have a horror of being an old maid."

Her aunt sighed.

"Now I come to think of it," she went on reminiscently, "there is a curious streak of fidelity, isn't there, in your father's character.

You must take after him. It ought to make you very careful, Let.i.tia.

I don't want to say a word against Charles, but he doesn't carry his head quite so high as you do, you know. When are you going to announce your engagement?"

"As soon as he leaves here, I think."

"Hm! Is Charlie very much in love with you?"

"If he is, he hasn't mentioned it," Let.i.tia observed. "Nowadays, men seem to reserve that sort of protestation for their musical comedy friends, and suggest a joint establishment, as a matter of mutual convenience, to us."

"Bitter, my dear--very bitter for your years!" her aunt sighed.

"What would you like to do this morning?" Let.i.tia asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"I shall amuse myself," was the prompt reply. "First of all, I am going to undertake a little mission on Reginald's account. I am going over to talk to that ridiculous old man Vont. Afterwards, I shall walk across to Broomleys."

"Most improper!" Let.i.tia remarked.

"My dear," her aunt reminded her, "I am nearly forty years old, although no one in the world would guess it if it were not for those wretched Court Guides. I look upon Mr. Thain as a sort of protg of mine, and I have an idea that you are not being so nice to him as you might be."

"I do my best," Let.i.tia replied, "and I really don't think he has anything to complain of."

The d.u.c.h.ess parted from her niece as they neared the house and proceeded to pay her first visit. She crossed the moat by the little handbridge, walked briskly across the intervening strip of park, and approached the little enclosure in which the cottage was situated.

Richard Vont, seated in his usual corner of the garden, remained motionless at her approach. He neither rose nor offered any sort of greeting.

"Good morning, Vont," she said briskly, as she reached the paling.

He was looking at her fixedly from underneath his bushy grey eyebrows.

He sat bolt upright in his chair, and he kept his hat upon his head.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"My good man," she remonstrated, "you might as well be civil. Why don't you stand up and take off your hat? You know who I am."

"Yes, I know who you are," he replied, without moving. "You are Caroline, d.u.c.h.ess of Winchester. I keep my hat upon my head because I owe you no respect and I feel none. As to asking you in, no one of your family will ever, of my will, step inside these palings."