Part 29 (1/2)
”What on earth has Pollyooly got to do with it?” cried the Honourable John Ruffin.
”A lot,” said the duke firmly. ”You know how like Marion she is. Why, even Mrs. Hutton, who'd been with Marion for years, couldn't tell them apart. Well, I want Mary Bride to be Marion.”
”The deuce you do!” cried the Honourable John Ruffin.
”Yes,” said the duke in the tone of a man who had quite made up his mind. ”I want her to come and live at the court as Marion. I'm going to run her as my daughter, Lady Marion Ricksborough.”
”But what on earth for?” cried the Honourable John Ruffin in a tone of the liveliest bewilderment.
”Why, don't you see? At first Caroline will be awfully c.o.c.kahoop at getting her own way. Then she'll begin to see that Marion's out in the cold, and I've got another daughter in her place. Then she'll kick like fury. She'll send Marion back in a brace of shakes to take her proper place. Then it'll be my turn to kick. I shan't be taking any Marion--at least, not without Caroline comes back too,” said the duke with an air of uncommon animation.
He was looking brighter than ever the Honourable John Ruffin had seen him. His eyes were positively gleaming with a manly fire.
”By Jove--by _Jove_!” said the Honourable John Ruffin softly.
”I thought you'd see it,” said the duke complacently.
The Honourable John Ruffin rose from his chair, strode solemnly across the hearthrug, seized the duke's hand, wrung it, and in a voice trembling with emotion said:
”Osterley, I have done you an injustice. I have underrated your intellect. Under that mild and irritated appearance you hide genius--veritable genius. The idea is, as you say, roundabout, but it will work. It will certainly work. You are dealing with a woman.”
The duke smiled with an air of the deepest self-satisfaction.
Compliments from the Honourable John Ruffin were indeed rare.
”Yes; that's what I thought,” he said. Then he chuckled, and added:
”Won't Caroline be mad when she finds I'm running another Marion?”
”'Mad' isn't the word for it,” said the Honourable John Ruffin with conviction.
”I shall certainly be getting a little of my own back,” said the duke, beaming.
The Honourable John Ruffin frowned at him heavily and said in a tone of the coldest severity:
”That's a stupid way of looking at it. The important thing about your idea is that it will very likely bring you together again. But I wonder if you can work it. You won't find it an easy job.”
”It all depends on whether Mary Bride can take Marion's place,” said the duke somewhat anxiously.
The Honourable John Ruffin looked at him queerly. It was not for him to say that Pollyooly had already spent a fortnight at Ricksborough Court as Lady Marion and that during that fortnight the duke had been as completely duped as his household.
He only said:
”It isn't Pollyooly I'm doubtful about. You need have no fears about her. She's by far the cleverest child I know, and she'll play her part all right. But, unfortunately, when you kidnapped her in Piccadilly and took her to Ricksborough House, your butler and Marion's nurse--what's her name?--Mrs. Hutton, learnt that Marion has a double, and they may suspect things.”
”Oh, no: Lucas doesn't go to the court; and I discharged Mrs. Hutton for being an idiot. Also, I dismissed Miss Marlow, Marion's governess.
I had no use for her. Really there's no one at the court now who came into close contact with Marion at all,” said the duke.
”That does simplify things,” said the Honourable John Ruffin cheerfully. ”But of course it's going to be a matter of weeks.
Caroline won't hear about it at once probably, for her friends won't hear about it to let her know. Then it'll take her some time to get over her satisfaction at having got her way, and to realise that Marion is out in the cold.”