The Quiet Gentleman

‘If,’ said Mr Morville precisely, ‘I set any value on such things, ma’am, I should feel myself impelled to inform you that the Morvilles were seigneurs in Normandy when the Frants – if Frants there were at that date – were still in a state of serfdom!’

At this point, Mrs Morville, who had been conferring with the Earl, interposed, saying: ‘Mr Morville, St Erth and I are agreed that it will not do to take Drusilla home today, while she feels so poorly, so we have decided that she shall go immediately to bed, and I will remain to take care of her, if you, ma’am, do not object!’

‘Certainly! I shall be very happy!’ said the Dowager. ‘If my nephew were at Stanyon, Mr Morville, he would show you the Frant records, which we keep in the muniment room!’

‘Yes, yes, ma’am, I have seen them! Nothing earlier than the fifteenth century! My brother has in his possession an interesting charter, granted by Edward III to our ancestor, Sir Ralph de Morville. He was a Garter Knight – one of the Founders, and the son of Reginald de Morville, who – Yes, my dear, what is it?’

‘I have been saying, Mr Morville,’ explained his wife, with great patience, ‘that I am remaining here to nurse Drusilla. So if you will inform Mrs Buxton of it she may pack a night-bag for me, and Peter can bring it to me.’

‘In 1474,’ said the Dowager, ‘we had the honour of entertaining Edward IV at Stanyon!’

‘Ay, had you indeed?’ said Mr Morville. ‘My family, of course, always held by the true line!’

It was now apparent to everyone that battle was fairly joined. Mrs Morville gave it as her opinion that it would be useless to attempt to distract the attention of either combatant, but when Drusilla was assisted to rise from the sofa, to go upstairs to bed, and stood for a moment, supported by the Earl’s arm, Mr Morville happened to notice this circumstance, and broke off in the middle of what he was saying to the Dowager to address fatherly words of encouragement to his daughter. ‘Going to bed?’ he said. ‘That’s right! You look a very poor thing, my dear! Better let St Erth carry you, or you will be tumbling down in another faint!’

‘An excellent suggestion, sir!’ said the Earl, and picked his betrothed up, and bore her off, heedless alike of her entreaties to him to remember his own injury, and of the strongly worded disapproval of Martin and the Viscount, who followed him out of the Hall, urging him to relinquish his burden to one or other of them.

‘Well, well!’ said Mr Morville indulgently. ‘They mean to have each other, I suppose! It might have been worse. I don’t dislike your son-in-law, ma’am: at least he isn’t afraid to know his own mind, which is more than I can say of most of the young men I meet! But as for this Crusader of yours – ! No, no, the Férants were a Gascony family, which died out before 1500! No connection with the Frants, none at all! I told your late husband so, years ago! We, of course, have Raymond de Morville, and his cousin Bertrand, both of whom were twice on crusades, and are buried at Fonthaven, but I don’t consider it anything to boast of!’