CHAPTER XXX
The Marquis glanced at the note which was handed to him at luncheontime, frowned slightly and handed it across to Letitia.
"What have you people been doing to Thain?" he asked a littleirritably. "He doesn't want to come to dinner."
The Duchess and Sylvia, who had just arrived on her projected visit,made no attempt to conceal their disappointment. Letitia picked, upthe note and read it indifferently.
"I am very sorry, aunt," she said. "I gave him all the notice I could."
"There is perhaps some misunderstanding," the Marquis remarked. "Inany case, he would not know that you were here for so short a time,Caroline. After luncheon I will walk across and see him."
"I will go with you," the Duchess decided. "I should like to seeBroomleys again. As a matter of fact, I meant to go there thismorning, but I found one call enough for me."
They took their coffee in the garden. Letitia followed her father to arose bush which he had crossed the lawn to examine.
"Dad," she asked, passing her hand through his arm, "have you had anygood news?"
He shook his head.
"Why?"
"Because you look so much better. I think that motoring must agreewith you."
He patted her hand.
"I rather enjoyed the drive," he admitted. "As a matter of fact,perhaps I am better," he went on.
"You haven't any good news about the shares, I suppose?" she askedhesitatingly.
For a moment he was grave.
"I have no news at all," he confessed, "or rather what news I have isnot good. I put an enquiry through an independent firm of stockbrokerswith whom I have had some transactions; and their reply coincided withthe information already afforded to me."
Letitia glanced across the park, and her face darkened.
"Has it ever struck you," she asked, "that there is something peculiarabout Mr. Thain in his attitude towards us--as a family, I mean?"
The Marquis shook his head.
"On the contrary," he replied, "I have always considered his deportmentunimpeachable."
Letitia hesitated, pulled a rose to pieces and turned back with herfather towards where the Duchess was reclining in a wicker chair.
"I dare say it's my fancy. Why don't you all go," she suggested, "andtake Mr. Thain by storm? He can scarcely resist you, aunt, and Sylvia."
"Why don't you come yourself?" the Duchess asked.
"My duty lies here," Letitia observed, with a little smile towardsGrantham, who had just strolled up with Sylvia.
The Duchess rose to her feet.
"Dear me, yes!" she acquiesced. "You two had better go off and have along country walk. If I sit for long after luncheon, I always go tosleep; so come along, Reginald, we'll beard the lion in his den."
The Marquis glanced towards Sylvia, but she shook her head.
"I must see after my unpacking," she said, "but I should very much likeMr. Thain to come. Do try to persuade him."
The Duchess and her brother strolled up the garden and out of thepostern gate into the park.
"That's a terrible old man of yours, Reginald," the former observed,glancing over her shoulder. "I never came across such a person off theboards at Drury Lane."
"He is an infernal nuisance," the Marquis grumbled. "It seems absurd,but he gets on my nerves. Day by day, there he sits, wet or fine. Youcan't see his lips move, but you can always feel sure that he ishunting up choice bits of damnation out of the Old Testament andhurling them across at me."
"I have come to the conclusion," his sister decided, "that he is out ofhis mind. An ignorant man who lives with one idea all his life is aptto lose his reason. He has never attempted any violence, has he?"
"Never," the Marquis replied, "but since you have mentioned it,Caroline, I always have a queer sensation when I am that side of thehouse. It is just about the distance to be picked off nicely with arifle. I can't think why he doesn't do it--why he contents himselfwith abuse."
"I am going to consult Mr. Thain about him," his companion said. "Aman of his robust common sense is much more likely to influence alunatic like Vont than you or I.--So this is where our millionairehermit is hidden," she went on, as they reached the gate. "Dear me,the place has changed!"
"It will soon be in order again," the Marquis observed. "Thain has adozen men at work in the grounds, and he is having the rooms done up,one by one. He lives in the library, I think, and the bedroom over it."
They passed through the plantation and into the gardens. Thain wasthere, talking to one of the workmen. He came to meet them with asomewhat forced smile of welcome upon his lips.
"This is very unexpected," he declared, as he shook hands. "I shouldhave called upon you this afternoon, Duchess."
"I should think so!" she replied severely. "Will you be so good as totell me at once what you mean by refusing my niece's invitation todine?"
He hesitated for a moment, then he smiled. There was something veryattractive about his visitor's frank directness of speech and manner.
"I refused," he admitted, glancing around to where the Marquis wasengaged in conversation with a gardener, "because I didn't want tocome."
"But I am there, you stupid person!" she reminded him. "You areinvited to dine with me! I know you don't get on with Lady Letitia,and I know you don't like large parties, but there are only half adozen of us there, and I promise you my whole protection. Show mesomething at once. I want to talk to you. Those Dorothy Perkins roseswill do, at the other end of the lawn."
He walked in silence by her side. She waited until they were well outof earshot.
"David Thain," she said, "have I shown an interest in you or have Inot?"
"You have been extraordinarily kind," he confessed.
"And in return," she continued, "you have decided to avoid me. I won'thave it. Are you afraid that I might want you to make love to me?"
He shook his head.
"I am sure you wouldn't find that amusing," he declared. "In thesociety of your sex I generally behave pretty well as your brotherwould do if he were dumped down in an office in Wall Street."
"I honestly believe that you are diffident," she admitted. "I nevermet a millionaire before who was, and at first I thought it was a posewith you. Perhaps I was mistaken. You really don't think, then, thatyou have any attraction apart from your millions?"
"I'm quite sure that I haven't," he answered bitterly.
"A love affair!" she exclaimed, looking into his face scrutinisingly."And I knew nothing of it!--I, your sponsor, your lady confessor,your--well, heaven knows what I might not be if you would only behavedecently! A love affair, indeed! That little yellow-haired chit, Isuppose, who is down here raving about you all the time--SylviaWhat's-her-name?"
He smiled.
"I know very little of Miss Sylvia Laycey," he said, "beyond the factthat she seems very charming."
"I suppose you ought to marry," she continued regretfully. "It seems apity, but they'll never leave you alone till you do. What is yourtype, then? Sylvia Laycey is much too young for you. I suppose youknow that."
"I don't think I have one," he answered.
"That's because I am married, of course," she went on. "If you were asensible man, you would settle down to adore me and not think ofanybody else at all. But you won't do it. You'll want to buy palacesand yachts and town houses and theatres, like all the rest of thesuperfluously rich, and you'll want a musical comedy star to wear yourjewels, and a wife to entertain your friends."
"Well, you must admit that I haven't been in a hurry about any of thesethings yet," he observed.
She looked at him keenly.
"Look here, my young friend," she said, "you haven't made the onemistake I warned you against, have you? You haven't fallen in lovewith Letitia?"
He laughed almost brutally.
"I am not quite such a fool as that," he assured her.
"Well, I should hope not," she enjoined severely. "Besid
es, as amatter of fact, Letitia is engaged. Her young man is staying atMandeleys now. Just answer me one question, David--why did you refusethat invitation to dinner?"
"Because I didn't feel like coming," he answered. "I thought it wouldprobably be a large party, most of them neighbours, and every one wouldhave to make an effort to entertain me because I am a stranger, anddon't know their ways or anything about them."
"There you are again!" she exclaimed. "Just as sensitive as you canbe, for all your millions! You'll come, David--please?"
"Of course I will, if you ask me like that," he assented.
She turned to her brother, who was approaching.
"Success!" she announced. "Mr. Thain has promised to dine. He refusedunder a misapprehension."
"We are delighted," the Marquis said. "At a quarter past eight, Mr.Thain."