Part 9 (2/2)
”I see!” the Marquis ruminated. ”Forty thousand pounds!”
”You are not, I am sure, a business man,” his guest continued, ”so you will pardon my reminding you that you can easily obtain an advance from your bankers upon the t.i.tle deeds of property, or a short mortgage would produce the amount.”
”A mortgage,” the Marquis repeated, as though the idea were a new one to him. ”Ah, yes! I must confess, though, that I have the strongest possible objection to mortgages, if they can in any way be dispensed with.”
”I suppose that is how you large English landowners generally feel,”
David remarked tolerantly. ”If you would prefer it, I will take your note of hand for the amount of the shares, payable, say, in three months' time.”
The Marquis upset the box of cigarettes which he was handling. He was not as a rule a clumsy person, but he felt strongly the need of some extraneous incident. He stood on the hearthrug whilst the servant whom he summoned collected the cigarettes and replaced them in the box. As soon as the door was closed, he turned to his guest.
”Your offer, Mr. Thain,” he said, ”is a most kindly one. It simplifies the whole matter exceedingly.”
”You had better make the usual enquiries concerning the property,” the latter advised. ”I am afraid you will find it a little difficult over on this side to get exact information, but if you have any friends who understand oil prospecting--”
The Marquis held out his hand.
”It is not an occasion upon which a further opinion is necessary,” he declared. ”I approve of the locality of the property, and the fact that you yourself are largely interested is sufficient for me.”
”Then any time you like to meet me at your lawyer's,” David suggested, ”I'll hand over the shares and you can sign a note of hand for the amount.”
The Marquis considered the matter for a moment, thoughtfully. There was something about the idea of letting Mr. Wadham see him sign a promissory note for forty thousand pounds which occurred to him as somewhat precarious.
”Perhaps you have legal connections of your own here,” he ventured.
”To tell you the truth, I have been obliged to speak my mind in a very plain manner to my own solicitors. I consider that they mismanaged the Vont case most shamefully. I would really prefer to keep away from them for a time.”
David nodded.
”I have a letter to some lawyers, at my rooms,” he said. ”I will send you their address, and we can make an appointment to meet at their office.”
The Marquis a.s.sented gravely. He considered that the matter was now better dismissed from further discussion.
”I have no doubt,” he said, ”that my sister would like to talk to you for a time. Shall we join the ladies?”
David threw away his cigar and professed his readiness. They crossed the hall and entered the drawing-room. There was one table of bridge, and Let.i.tia was seated with her sister on a divan near the window. The former sighed as she watched the entrance of the two men.
”Do look at father, Meg,” she whispered. ”I am perfectly certain he has been borrowing money.”
Margaret shrugged her shoulders.
”What if he has, my dear!” she rejoined. ”These people can afford to pay for their entertainment. I think it's rather clever of him.”
Let.i.tia groaned.
”You have such ign.o.ble ideas, Meg,” she said reprovingly. ”Now I know I shall have to make myself agreeable to Mr. Thain, and I either like him or dislike him immensely. I haven't the least idea which.”
”I shouldn't be surprised,” her sister whispered, as Thain approached, ”if he didn't help you presently to make up your mind.”
<script>