“Anyone would think he was master here,” said one of the men, as he saw Dasent pass by the third time. “Won’t be much he don’t know about the place when he’s done.”
“Shouldn’t wonder if he is,” said the other. “Him and his father’s lawyers, and the guv’nor don’t seem none too chirpy just now. They say he is in Queer Street.”
“Who’s they?” said his companion, speaking indistinctly, consequent upon having two nails and a shred between his lips.
“Why, they. I dunno, but it’s about that they’ve been a bit awkward with the guv’nor at Bramwich Bank.”
“That’s nothing. Life’s all ups and downs. It won’t hurt us. We shall get our wages, I dessay. They’re always paid.”
The afternoon wore on and at dusk Garstang and Claud made their appearance, followed by a labourer carrying a basket, which was too short to hold the head and tail of a twelve-pound pike, which lay on the top of half-a-dozen more.
“Better have come with us, Harry,” said Claud. “Had some pretty good sport. Found it dull?”
“I? No,” was the reply. “I say, what time do you dine to-night?”
“Old hour – six.”
“Going to stay dinner, Harry?” said Garstang.
“Oh, yes; I’m going to stay dinner,” said the young man, giving him a defiant look.
“Well, it will be pleasanter, but it is a very dark ride.”
“Yes, but I’m going to walk.”
“No, you aren’t,” said Claud, in a sulky tone of voice; “we’re going to have you driven over.”
“There is no need.”
“Oh, yes, there is. I want a ride to have a cigar after dinner, and I shall come and see you off. We don’t do things like that, even if we haven’t asked anyone to come.”
Kate made her appearance again at dinner, and once more Garstang was the life and soul of the party, which would otherwise have been full of constraint. But it was not done in a boisterous, ostentatious way. Everything was in good taste, and Kate more than once grew quite animated, till she saw that both the young men were eagerly listening to her, when she withdrew into herself.
Mrs Wilton got through the dinner without once making her lord frown, and she was congratulating herself upon her success, as she rose, after making a sign, when her final words evolved a tempestuous flash of his eyes.
“Don’t you think you had better stop till the morning, Harry Dasent?” she said.
But his quick reply allayed the storm at once.
“Oh, no, thank you, Aunt,” he said, with a side glance at Garstang. “I must be back to look after business in the morning.”
“But it’s so dark, my dear.”
“Bah! the dark won’t hurt him, Maria, and I’ve told them to bring the dog-cart round at eight.”
“Oh, that’s very good of you, sir,” said the young man; “but I had made up my mind to walk.”
“I told you I should ride over with you, didn’t I?” growled Claud.
“Yes, but – ”
“I know. There, hold your row. We needn’t start till half-past eight, so there’ll be plenty of time for coffee and a cigar.”
“Then I had better say good-night to you now, Mr Dasent,” said Kate, quietly, holding out her hand.
“Oh, I shall see you again,” he cried.
“No; I am about to ask Aunt to let me go up to my room now; it has been a tiring day.”
“Then good-night,” he said impressively, and he took and pressed her hand in a way which made her colour slightly, and Claud twitch one arm and double his list under the table.
“Good-night. Good-night, Claud.” She shook hands; then crossed to her uncle.
“Good-night, my dear,” he said, drawing her down to kiss her cheek. “Glad you are so much better.”
“Thank you, Uncle. – Good-night, Mr Garstang.” Her lip was quivering a little, but she smiled at him gratefully as he rose and spoke in a low affectionate way.
“Good-night, my dear child,” he said. “Let me play doctor with a bit of good advice. Make up your mind for a long night’s rest, and ask your uncle and aunt to excuse you at breakfast in the morning. You must hasten slowly to get back your strength. Good-night.”
“You’ll have to take great care of her, James,” he continued, as he returned to his seat. “Umph! Yes, I mean to,” said the host. “A very, very sweet girt,” said Garstang thoughtfully, and his face was perfectly calm as he met his stepson’s shifty glance.
Then coffee was brought in; Claud, at a hint from his lather, fetched a cigar box, and was drawn out by Garstang during the smoking to give a lull account of their sport that afternoon with the pike.
“Quite bent the gaff hook,” he was saying later on, when the grating of wheels was heard; and soon after the young men started, Mrs Wilton coming into the hall to see them off and advise them both to wrap up well about their chests.
That night John Garstang broke his host’s rules by keeping his candle burning late, while he sat thinking deeply by the bedroom fire; for he had a good deal upon his brain just then. “No,” he said at last, as he rose to wind up his watch; “she would not dare. But fore-warned is fore-armed, my man. You were never meant for a diplomat. Bah! Nor for anything else.”
But it was a long time that night before John Garstang slept.
Chapter Ten
“I say, guv’nor, when’s old Garstang going?”
“Oh, very soon, now, boy,” said James Wilton testily.
“But you said that a week ago, and he seems to be settling down as if the place belonged to him.”
The father uttered a deep, long-drawn sigh.
“It’s no use for you to snort, dad; that doesn’t do any good. Why don’t you tell him to be off?”
“No, no; impossible; and mind what you are about; be civil to him.”
“Well, I am. Can’t help it; he’s so jolly smooth with a fellow, and has such good cigars – I say, guv’nor, rather different to your seventeen-and-six-penny boxes of weeds. I wouldn’t mind, only he’s in the way so. Puts a stop to, you know what. I never get a chance with her alone; here are you two shut up all the morning over the parchments, and she don’t come down; and when she does he carries me off with him. Then at night you’re all there.”
“Never mind! he will soon go now; we have nearly done.”
“I’m jolly glad of it. I’ve been thinking that if it’s going on much longer I’d better do without the four greys.”
“Eh?”
“Oh, you know, guv’nor; toddle off to Gretna Green, or wherever they do the business, and get it over.”
“No, no, no, no. There must be no nonsense, my boy,” said Wilton, uneasily. “Don’t do anything rash.”
“Oh, no, I won’t do anything rash,” said Claud, with an unpleasant grin; “only one must make one’s hay when the sun shines, guv’nor.”
“There’s one thing about his visit,” said Wilton hurriedly; “it has done her a great deal of good; she isn’t like the same girl.”
“No; she has come out jolly. Makes it a little more bearable.”
“Eh, what, sir? – bearable?”
“Yes. Fellow wants the prospect of some sugar or jam afterwards, to take such a sickly