The Wicked Marquis Part 36

"Our friend Thain," he observed, "seems to be a success with Miss Sylvia."

Let.i.tia turned her head and watched them.

"Sylvia has already confided to me her ardent admiration."

The Marquis sighed as he sank into a chair. Let.i.tia glanced at him a little anxiously.

"Anything wrong, dad?"

"Nothing that should depress one on such a wonderful day. It is more a state of mind than anything. You and I, I fancy, were both born a few hundred years too late."

"Money again?"

He nodded.

"It is one of the most humiliating features of modern existence," he declared, "to find the course of one's daily life interfered with by the paltry necessities of pounds, s.h.i.+llings and pence. One inherits a great name," he went on ruminatively, "great traditions, an estate brimful of a.s.sociations with ill.u.s.trious ancestors. In one's daily life one's sense of dignity, one's whole position, is all the time affected, I may say poisoned, by the lack of that one commodity which is neither a proof of greatness or even deserving. We are very poor indeed, Let.i.tia."

She sighed.

"Is it anything fresh?"

"Mr. Merridrew has been here this morning," her father continued, "and has spoken to me very seriously about the condition of the whole estate. No repairs or rebuilding have been effected for years. The whole of the rents, as they have been received, have been required to pay interests on the mortgages. Mr. Merridrew adds that he scarcely dare show himself before any one of the tenants, to whose just demands he is continually promising attention. He considers that unless the whole of the next quarter's rents are spent in making repairs, we shall lose our tenants and the property itself will be immensely deteriorated."

"There are those shares that Mr. Thain sold you," she reminded him hopefully.

"You must take this for what it is worth," he said. "I have a private letter from Mr. Wadham himself this morning, in which he tells me frankly that he has received reports indicating that those shares are worthless."

"Worthless?" Let.i.tia exclaimed, bewildered.

Her father nodded.

"He begs me earnestly to appeal to Mr. Thain to take them off my hands.

Even if I could bring myself to contemplate such a step, we should even then be faced with the fact that, adopting Mr. Merridrew's views, there are no funds to provide the interest on the mortgages next quarter day."

Let.i.tia glanced once more uneasily towards David Thain.

"Worthless!" she repeated. "I don't understand it, father. Do you really believe that Mr. Thain would do you an ill turn like this?"

The Marquis shook his head.

"I can conceive no possible reason for such an action," he declared.

"We have not injured him in any way. On the contrary, we have, at your Aunt Caroline's solicitation, offered him a hospitality somewhat rarely accorded by you and me, dear, to persons of his nationality and position."

Let.i.tia made a little grimace.

"Aunt Caroline looks at him from a different point of view, doesn't she!"

"Your aunt is intensely modern," the Marquis agreed. "She is modern, too, without any real necessity. Her outlook upon life is one which, considering her descent, I cannot understand."

"Don't you think, father," Let.i.tia asked him squarely, "that, however, disagreeable it may be, you ought to speak to Mr. Thain about the shares? He could probably tell you something which would relieve your mind, or he might offer to take them back."

The Marquis was silent for a moment. Probably no one in the world except Let.i.tia knew how much it cost him to say the next few words.

"I will do so," he promised. "I will find an early opportunity of doing so. At the same time, in the absence of any more definite information, I prefer to retain my belief in their value."

Sylvia and David came strolling towards them. The former was looking almost distressed.

"Let.i.tia dear, isn't it horrid!" she said. "I must go now! I promised Mrs. Medlingcourt that I'd be back to tea. She has some stupid people coming in. We've had such a wonderful game of croquet. I am quite sure I could make an expert of Mr. Thain in a very short time. Can I have my pony cart, please, Let.i.tia? And what time shall I come on Thursday?"

"We shall be ready for you any time you like," Let.i.tia replied, "so please suit yourself."

They all strolled round to see her start. She looked a little wistfully at the vacant place in the governess' cart, as she took her seat.

"I can't drop you at Broomleys gate, can I, Mr. Thain?" she asked.

He shook his head smilingly.

"I should never dare to face your pony again," he declared. "Bring your father over to see me, and we'll mark out a croquet court at Broomleys."

"We'll come," she promised.

She drove away. David, too, turned to take his leave.

"So nice of you to entertain our little visitor," Let.i.tia said, smiling graciously upon him. "She is charming, isn't she?"

"Quite," he replied.

"I'll show you a way into the park from the flower gardens," she continued. "It saves you a little."

She led the way across the lawn, very erect, very graceful, very indifferent. David walked by her side with his hands behind him.

"You must find these country pursuits a relaxation after your more strenuous life," she observed.

"I find them very pleasant."

"To-morrow," Let.i.tia told him, "my aunt arrives for a day or two. You are almost as popular with her, you know, as you seem to be with Sylvia."

"The d.u.c.h.ess," he repeated. "I did not know that she was coming here.

She was kind enough to ask me to go to Scotland later on."

"You will be very foolish if you don't go, then," Let.i.tia advised.

"The Rossdale grouse moors are almost the best in Scotland. Aunt Caroline is staying here for two days on her way to Harrogate. You must dine with us on Thursday night. She will be so disappointed if she does not see you at once."

"You are very kind, Lady Let.i.tia," he said. "I fear that I am inclined to encroach upon your hospitality."

She picked a rose and held it to her lips for a moment.

"We must amuse Aunt Caroline," she observed languidly. "It is many years since she imposed herself as a visitor here. We dine at a quarter past eight. This is the gate."