Part 61 (1/2)
”It won't spread,” said Chaffing Jack. ”I've seen a deal of these things. I fancy from what you say it's a cotton squall. It will pa.s.s, Sir. Let me see the miners out and then I will talk to you.”
”Stranger things than that have happened,” said Devilsdust. ”Then things get serious,” said Chaffing Jack. ”Them miners is very stubborn, and when they gets excited ayn't it a bear at play, that's all?”
”Well,” said Devilsdust, ”what you say is well worth attention; but all the same I feel we are on the eve of a regular crisis.”
”No, by jingo!” said Mick, and tossing his cap into the air he snapped his fingers with delight at the antic.i.p.ated amus.e.m.e.nt.
Book 6 Chapter 4
”I don't think I can stand this much longer,” said Mr Mountchesney, the son-in-law of Lord de Mowbray, to his wife, as he stood before the empty fire-place with his back to the mantelpiece and his hands thrust into the pockets of his coat. ”This living in the country in August bores me to extinction. I think we will go to Baden, Joan.”
”But papa is so anxious, dearest Alfred, that we should remain here at present and see the neighbours a little.”
”I might be induced to remain here to please your father, but as for your neighbours I have seen quite enough of them. They are not a sort of people that I ever met before, or that I wish to meet again. I do not know what to say to them, nor can I annex an idea to what they say to me. Heigho! certainly the country in August is a thing of which no one who has not tried it has the most remote conception.”
”But you always used to say you doted on the country, Alfred,” said Lady Joan in a tone of tender reproach.
”So I do; I never was happier than when I was at Melton, and even enjoyed the country in August when I was on the Moors.”
”But I cannot well go to Melton,” said Lady Joan.
”I don't see why you can't. Mrs Sh.e.l.ldrake goes with her husband to Melton, and so does Lady Di with Barham; and a very pleasant life it is.”
”Well, at any rate we cannot go to Melton now,” said Lady Joan mortified; ”and it is impossible for me to go to the Moors.”
”No, but I could go,” said Mr Mountchesney, ”and leave you here. I might have gone with Eugene de Vere and Milford and Fitz-heron. They wanted me very much. What a capital party it would have been, and what capital sport we should have had! And I need not have been away for more than a month or perhaps six weeks, and I could have written to you every day and all that sort of thing.”
Lady Joan sighed and affected to recur to the opened volume which during this conversation she had held in her hand.
”I wonder where Maud is,” said Mr Mountchesney; ”I shall want her to ride with me to-day. She is a capital horsewoman, and always amuses me.
As you cannot ride now, Joan, I wish you would let Maud have Sunbeam.”
”As you please.”
”Well I am going to the stables and will tell them. Who is this?” Mr Mountchesney exclaimed, and then walked to the window that looking over the park showed at a distance the advance of a very showy equipage.
Lady Joan looked up.
”Come here, Joan, and tell me who this is,” and Lady Joan was at his side in a moment.
”It is the livery of the Bardolfs,” said Lady Joan.
”I always call them Firebrace; I cannot get out of it,” said Mr Mountchesney. ”Well, I am glad it is they; I thought it might be an irruption of barbarians. Lady Bardolf will bring us some news.”
Lord and Lady Bardolf were not alone; they were accompanied by a gentleman who had been staying on a visit at Firebrace, and who, being acquainted with Lord de Mowbray, had paid his respects to the castle in his way to London. This gentleman was the individual who had elevated them to the peerage--Mr Hatton. A considerable intimacy had sprung up between him and his successful clients. Firebrace was an old place rebuilt in the times of the Tudors, but with something of its more ancient portions remaining, and with a storehouse of muniments that had escaped the civil wars. Hatton revelled in them, and in pursuing his researches, had already made discoveries which might perhaps place the coronet of the earldom of Lovel on the brow of the former champion of the baronetage, who now however never mentioned the Order. Lord de Mowbray was well content to see Mr Hatton, a gentleman in whom he did not repose the less confidence, because his advice given him three years ago, respecting the writ of right and the claim upon his estate had proved so discreet and correct. Acting on that advice Lord de Mowbray had instructed his lawyers to appear to the action without entering into any unnecessary explanation of the merits of his case. He counted on the accuracy of Mr Hatton's judgment, that the claim would not be pursued; and he was right; after some fencing and preliminary manoeuvring, the claim had not been pursued. Lord de Mowbray therefore, always gracious, was disposed to accord a very distinguished reception to his confidential counsellor. He pressed very much his guests to remain with him some days, and though that was not practicable, Mr Hatton promised that he would not leave the neighbourhood without paying another visit to the castle.
”And you continue quiet here?” said Mr Hatton to Lord de Mowbray.