The Quiet Gentleman

‘Yes, one that was hoped for.’

The Earl’s face was inscrutable; after a moment, Theo said: ‘I have shocked you, but it is better to be plain with you, I think. You cannot have supposed that they loved you!’

‘Not Lady St Erth, no! But Martin – !’

‘Why should he? He has heard no good of you from my uncle, or from his mother; he has been treated in all things as though he had been the heir; so much indulged and petted – well, talking pays no toll, or there is much I could say to you! To him, you are a usurper.’

Gervase finished his brandy, and set down the glass. ‘I see. It is melancholy indeed! Something tells me that I shall not be at Stanyon for very long.’

‘What do you mean?’ Theo said sharply.

Gervase looked at him, a little bewildered. ‘Why, what should I mean?’

‘Martin is rash – his temper is uncontrollable, but he would not murder you, Gervase!’

‘Murder me! Good God, I should hope he would not!’ exclaimed the Earl, laughing. ‘No, no, I only meant that I think I should prefer to live at Maplefield, or Studham – ah, no! Studham was not entailed, was it? It belongs to Martin!’

‘Yes, it belongs to Martin, along with the Jamaican property,’ said Theo grimly. ‘And your mother-in-law has the London house and the Dower House for the term of her life!’

‘I grudge her neither,’ replied the Earl lightly.

‘When I can bring you to pay a little heed to the way in which things are left, you may well grudge the pair of them a great deal of what they now stand possessed!’ retorted Theo. ‘I have sometimes thought that my uncle had taken leave of his senses! You have me to thank for it that the estate is not cut up even more!’

‘I think I have you to thank for more than you would have me guess,’ St Erth said, smiling across at him. ‘You have been a good friend to me, Theo, and I thank you for it.’

‘Well, I have done what lay in my power to keep the property intact,’ Theo said gruffly. ‘But I am determined you shall be made to attend to your affairs, and so I warn you!’

‘What a fierce fellow you are, to be sure! But you wrong me, you know! I did read my father’s will, and I fancy I know pretty well how things stand.’

‘Then I wonder that you will be so expensive, Gervase!’ said Theo forthrightly. ‘The charges you have made upon the estate this past twelvemonth – !’

‘Oh, won’t it bear them? I shall be obliged to marry an heiress!’

‘I wish you will be serious! Things have not come to such a pass as that, but you will do well to be a little more careful. When I have shown you how matters stand, I hope you may be persuaded to take up your residence here. It will not do to leave Stanyon masterless, you know.’

‘Stanyon has a very good master in you, I fancy.’

‘Nonsense! I am nothing but your agent.’

‘But I should find it a dead bore!’ objected Gervase. ‘Only consider the dreadful evening I have spent already! I have not the remotest guess where Martin went to, but I am sure he was not to be blamed for his flight. I wish I had had the courage to follow his example! And who, pray, is that little squab of a female? Was she invited for my entertainment? Don’t tell me she is an heiress! I could not – no, I really could not be expected to pay my addresses to anyone with so little countenance or conversation!’

‘Drusilla! No, no, nothing of that sort!’ smiled Theo. ‘I fancy my aunt thinks she would make a very suitable wife for me!’

‘My poor Theo!’

‘Oh, she is a very good sort of a girl, after all! But my tastes do not run in that direction. She is a guest at Stanyon merely while her parents are visiting in the north. They live at Gilbourne: in fact, they are your tenants. Her ladyship has a kindness for Drusilla, which is not wonderful, for she is always very obliging, and her lack of countenance, as you have it, makes it in the highest degree unlikely that she will ever be a danger to Lady St Erth’s schemes for Martin.’ He rose from his chair, and added, glancing down at the Earl: ‘We can offer you better entertainment, I hope! There is the hunting, remember, and your coverts should afford you excellent sport.’

‘My dear Theo, I may have been abroad for a few years, but I was reared in England, you know!’ expostulated Gervase. ‘If you will tell me what I am to hunt, or shoot, at this moment – !’

Theo laughed. ‘Wood-pigeons!’

‘Yes, and rabbits. I thank you!’

‘Well, you will go to London for the Season, I daresay.’

‘You may say so with the fullest confidence.’

‘I see it is useless for me to waste my eloquence upon you. Only remain at Stanyon for long enough to understand in what case you stand, and I must be satisfied! Tomorrow, I give you warning, I shall make you attend to business. I won’t tease you any more tonight, however. Sleep sound!’