Part 10 (2/2)

”I suppose you know what I want to go there for?”

”Well, I can form a rough guess. As far as I'm concerned, I should welcome the idea; but I won't disguise it from you that the Governor wouldn't.”

”Well, hang it! I may have trod on his corns--though I certainly never meant to, and I like him and all that--but you can't say that I'm not all right. I'm an only son, and all that sort of thing. I don't see how he could expect to get anybody better.”

”Do you really mean business, Bobby?”

”Yes, I do; if I can hit it off with her. She's bowled me over. She's as pretty as paint, and as bright and clever as they make 'em.

Sweet-tempered and kind-hearted too; and I like that about a girl. She was as nice as possible to my old Governor; took a lot of trouble about him. He thinks the world of her. I tell you, he'd be as pleased as Punch.”

”Have you said anything to him?”

”No, not yet. To tell you the truth--I'm a modest fellow, though I'm not always given the credit for it--I'm not in the least certain whether she'll see it in the same light as I do. I dare say that's what's brought it on, you know. They've been after me for years--it's only natural, I suppose--but what these old dowagers, and lots of the young women themselves too, don't seem to understand is that a man doesn't _like_ being run after. It puts him off. That's human nature.

Well, I needn't tell _you_ that it's me that's got to do all the running this time; and it's a pleasant change. I suppose she's never said anything to you about me, has she?”

Humphrey laughed. He remembered a few of the things that Joan had said to him about his friend.

”She looks on you as a stupendous joke so far,” he said. ”Still, she's hardly more than a kid.”

”Oh, I know. Tell you the truth, when I first felt myself drawn that way, I said, 'No, Robert. Plenty of time yet. If you feel the same in a couple of years' time, you can let yourself go.' But I don't know.

Some other fellow might come along; and I'm not fool enough to think I've made such an impression that I can afford to keep away and let my hand play itself. No, what I want is to get my chance; I know now what I'm going to do with it, and I tell you I'm keener than I've ever been about anything in my life. Look here, Humphrey, you've got to get me down to Kencote somehow after Christmas. I never see her anywhere else. You ought not to keep those girls shut up as you do, you know.”

”_I_ keep them shut up! You talk as if I were the head of my respected family. Well, look here. If it has really gone as far as you say it has, you'd better write to the Governor. I tell you plainly, he doesn't think much of _you_; but he's an old friend of your father's, and he'd probably be no more averse to seeing one of his daughters marry a future peer than anybody else would. It wouldn't go all the way with him, but it would go some of the way.”

”No, thanks. That's not my way of doing things. I want to be loved for myself. If he did take to the idea, it wouldn't do me any good to be shoved forward in that sort of light. Besides, to tell you the truth, I don't believe I should be half so keen if I was asked down with that idea.”

”Oh, well!” said Humphrey with a spurt of offence. ”If that's how you feel about it----! I don't care a d.a.m.n about your peerage, and all that sort of thing; I was only thinking it might help you over a fence with the Governor. My young sister is good enough for any fellow.”

”I know that. I should consider myself jolly lucky if she took me.

You needn't get s.h.i.+rty. It's just because she is the girl I want that I'm not going to lose any of the fun of winning off my own bat.”

”I'll see what I can do,” said Humphrey, after further conversation.

”But if you go to Rome you've got to do as Rome does. You know what my Governor is; and he's got a perfect right to run his own show as it suits him, and not as it suits other people. As far as I'm concerned, I've come to feel that Kencote is a precious sight nicer house to go to than a great many. It's different, and the others are all just the same. You've got to keep to the rules, but if you do you have a very good time. It's a pleasant rest.”

”Oh, I know. I feel just the same as you about it. It reminds you of the days of your childhood, and your mother's knee, and all that sort of thing. Besides, they do you top-hole; I will say that. I'm old enough to appreciate it now; of course, five or six years ago I dare say I did think it a bit dull, and I may have shown it, though I never meant to rub your old Governor up the wrong way. Still, it will be quite different now. I'll teach in the Sunday school if he wants me to.”

”If you go, you must observe strict punctuality as to meals, and you must do without games on Sunday, and bally-ragging generally. That's about all, and it isn't so very desperate.”

”Not a bit; and with your sister there it will be like heaven. Oh, you've got to get me asked, Humphrey.”

”I'll do what I can. By the by, don't say a word about the Amberley business at Kencote. He doesn't like that mentioned.”

”Doesn't he? Righto! It was the way your young sister showed up in that that clinched it with me. She was topping. Looked as pretty as a picture, and never let them rattle her once. They took her off the moment she'd given her evidence, and I never got the chance of a word with her. I've actually never seen her since, and that's a couple of months ago now. Well, here we are. I'm going to enjoy myself to-day.”

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