Part 22 (1/2)
”I think I should like it very much,” said Lord Carresford, smiling.
”Your father will not be at home before six, I believe.”
”No, and mamma and Aunt Daisy have gone to a tea. Don't you like teas, Lord Carresford?”
”Not very much. I prefer sitting here and watching the ocean. Do you enjoy teas yourself?”
”I think I should like them,” said Lulu reflectively; ”I like most grown-up things. Betty says she wants to be a housekeeper when she grows up, but I should much rather be an auth.o.r.ess. Aunt Daisy is an auth.o.r.ess, you know, and people always like to talk to her. Jack is going to be an artist when he grows up, and he doesn't want Betty to be a housekeeper, because he says English ladies never work. Jack is really a very unselfish little boy. That day in the boat he wanted us all to wade ash.o.r.e and leave him alone. He said he was a boy, and ought to be able to take care of himself. We think him very brave, and papa calls him a little soldier. Oh, here comes Winifred.” And Lulu sprang to her feet, and hurried across the lawn to greet her friend.
Winifred was very much impressed when her friend informed her in a whisper that ”his lords.h.i.+p” was actually going to the beach with them, and the three were soon on their way.
”Lord Carresford,” said Lulu rather timidly, as they pa.s.sed out of the gate, and turned in the direction of the board walk, ”would you mind very much if I asked you a question?”
”Not in the least.”
”Do you like being a lord?”
”Well, I can scarcely say that I dislike it,” said ”his lords.h.i.+p,”
laughing. ”The fact is, I don't think I have quite recovered from the surprise of the whole thing as yet.”
”Why were you surprised? Didn't you always expect to be one?”
”I never even dreamed of such a thing until about a year ago. My uncle was Lord Carresford as long as he lived, and when he died the t.i.tle naturally descended to his son, my cousin. He had always been very strong and well, but he died suddenly of pneumonia a year ago last spring, and as he was not married, and I was the nearest male relative, the t.i.tle and estates came to me.”
”That's just the way it was with little Lord Fauntleroy,” said Winifred, much struck by the coincidence, ”and he didn't think he was going to like it at first, but afterwards he didn't mind so much. Have you got a beautiful castle in England, like the one Fauntleroy had?”
”I have several rather nice places. If you ever come to England you must make me a visit at Carresford Towers. You would like that, I think; it is very pretty.”
”We should like it very much,” said Winifred politely. ”I wish Jack could go to England some time; he's so much interested in all English things. Have you got a park with deer in it?”
”Yes, a very nice one.”
”And who will be Lord Carresford when you--after you get through?” Lulu inquired, finding some difficulty in framing her question in the most delicate manner.
Lord Carresford laughed.
”That depends upon circ.u.mstances,” he said. ”If I should happen to marry and have a son, he would naturally take my place. Otherwise the t.i.tle would go to one of my nephews, if I had any.”
”Have you got any nephews now?” Lulu asked.
”No, at least none that I know of. I have two married sisters in England, but their children all happen to be girls.”
”It's all very interesting,” said Lulu; ”it sounds just like a thing out of a book. There are Betty and Jack sitting on the bathing house steps.
Won't they be surprised when they see who is with us?”
”Well, my boy, and how have you been amusing yourself to-day?” Lord Carresford asked kindly, seating himself beside Jack on the steps, as the three little girls strolled away in search of other amus.e.m.e.nts.
”I've been having a very pleasant time, sir,” said Jack, whose heart was beating faster than was quite comfortable, and whose cheeks were flus.h.i.+ng and paling by turns. To find himself actually alone with ”the lord,” engaged in familiar conversation with him, was an honor he had never even dreamed of. ”Betty and I were on the beach all the morning. I like it better than any other place.”