The Wicked Marquis Read online

  CHAPTER XXV

  The Marquis, as he sat at his study table after lunch, was not inclinedto regard his first day at Mandeleys as a success. The only post ofthe day had been delivered, and the letter for which he was waitingwith an anxiety greater than he even realised himself, was stillabsent. There was a letter, however, from Mr. Wadham, which affordedhim some food for thought. It was a personal letter, written by thehead of the firm, and he perused it for the second time with a frownupon his forehead.

  _My dear Lord Mandeleys:_

  I have ventured, in your interests, to do what my son tells me youyourself felt some hesitation in doing--namely, I have made enquirythrough a firm of stockbrokers who make a speciality of American oilshares, as to the Pluto Oil Company, Limited, of whose shares you havemade so large a purchase. I find that no development of this propertyhas taken place, very little, if any, machinery has been erected, nooil has ever been discovered in the locality or upon the estate. May Ibeg of you that, to avoid disastrous consequences, you at once see yourfriend from whom you purchased these shares, and endeavour to make somearrangement with him to take them off your hands, as they weredoubtless tendered to you by false representations.

  I am quite sure that I need not point out to your lordship that I writeyou this letter entirely without prejudice and in the interests of theMandeleys name and estates.

  There could be no possibility of the drafts executed by your lordshipbeing met, unless the shares themselves provided the funds, which,under the existing conditions, appears impossible.

  Respectfully yours, STEPHEN WADHAM.

  The Marquis looked out upon the lawn. There was in his memory, too, arecent and serious conversation with Mr. Merridrew, concerning theaccumulating charges for dilapidations upon the property. He watchedDavid playing croquet with Sylvia Laycey with a deepening frown uponhis face, glanced from them to where Letitia sat, apparently absorbedin a book which she was reading, and from her he looked through a sidewindow towards that hated little demesne across the moat, where RichardVont, in his shabby brown velveteen suit, with his white hair and hismotionless figure, seemed to dominate the otherwise peaceful prospect.Somehow or other, both outlooks irritated him almost as much as his ownmental condition. The hard pressure of circumstances was assertingitself in his mind. He found himself struggling against an insidiouslonging to see Letitia in Sylvia's place. In his way he wassuperstitious. He even began to wonder whether that silent, ceaselesshate, that daily litany of curses, could really in any way beresponsible for the increasing embarrassments by which he wassurrounded, that great, dumb anxiety which kept him with wide-open eyesat night and sent him about in the daytime with a constant, wearingpain at his heart.

  He turned at last wearily away from the window, rose to his feet,opened the French doors which led out into the gardens, and strolledacross the lawn to where Letitia was seated. She laid down her bookand welcomed him with a smile which had in it just a shade of fatigue.

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

  Letitia turned her head and watched them.

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

  The Marquis sighed as he sank into a chair. Letitia glanced at him alittle anxiously.

  "Anything wrong, dad?"

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

  "Money again?"

  He nodded.

  "It is one of the most humiliating features of modern existence," hedeclared, "to find the course of one's daily life interfered with bythe paltry necessities of pounds, shillings and pence. One inherits agreat name," he went on ruminatively, "great traditions, an estatebrimful of associations with illustrious ancestors. In one's dailylife one's sense of dignity, one's whole position, is all the timeaffected, I may say poisoned, by the lack of that one commodity whichis neither a proof of greatness or even deserving. We are very poorindeed, Letitia."

  She sighed.

  "Is it anything fresh?"

  "Mr. Merridrew has been here this morning," her father continued, "andhas spoken to me very seriously about the condition of the wholeestate. No repairs or rebuilding have been effected for years. Thewhole of the rents, as they have been received, have been required topay interests on the mortgages. Mr. Merridrew adds that he scarcelydare show himself before any one of the tenants, to whose just demandshe is continually promising attention. He considers that unless thewhole of the next quarter's rents are spent in making repairs, we shalllose our tenants and the property itself will be immenselydeteriorated."

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

  "You must take this for what it is worth," he said. "I have a privateletter from Mr. Wadham himself this morning, in which he tells mefrankly that he has received reports indicating that those shares areworthless."

  "Worthless?" Letitia 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 eventhen be faced with the fact that, adopting Mr. Merridrew's views, thereare no funds to provide the interest on the mortgages next quarter day."

  Letitia glanced once more uneasily towards David Thain.

  "Worthless!" she repeated. "I don't understand it, father. Do youreally 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 yourAunt Caroline's solicitation, offered him a hospitality somewhat rarelyaccorded by you and me, dear, to persons of his nationality andposition."

  Letitia made a little grimace.

  "Aunt Caroline looks at him from a different point of view, doesn'tshe!"

  "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," Letitia asked him squarely, "that, however,disagreeable it may be, you ought to speak to Mr. Thain about theshares? He could probably tell you something which would relieve yourmind, or he might offer to take them back."

  The Marquis was silent for a moment. Probably no one in the worldexcept Letitia knew how much it cost him to say the next few words.

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

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

  "Letitia dear, isn't it horrid!" she said. "I must go now! I promisedMrs. Medlingcourt that I'd be back to tea. She has some stupid peoplecoming in. We've had such a wonderful game of croquet. I am quitesure I could make an expert of Mr. Thain in a very short time. Can Ihave my pony cart, please, Letitia? And what time shall I come onThursday?"

  "We shall be ready for you any time you like," Letitia replied, "soplease suit yourself."

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

  "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. "Bringyour father over to see me, and we'll mark out a croquet court atBroomleys."

  "We'll come," she promised.

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

  "So nice of you to entertain our little visitor," Letitia said, smilinggraciously upon him. "She is charming, isn't she?"

  "Quite," he replied.

  "I'll show you a way into the park from the flower gardens," shecontinued. "It sa
ves you a little."

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

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

  "I find them very pleasant."

  "To-morrow," Letitia told him, "my aunt arrives for a day or two. Youare almost as popular with her, you know, as you seem to be withSylvia."

  "The Duchess," 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," Letitia advised."The Rossdale grouse moors are almost the best in Scotland. AuntCaroline is staying here for two days on her way to Harrogate. Youmust dine with us on Thursday night. She will be so disappointed ifshe does not see you at once."

  "You are very kind, Lady Letitia," he said. "I fear that I am inclinedto 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 manyyears since she imposed herself as a visitor here. We dine at aquarter past eight. This is the gate."

  He passed through it and turned to make his farewells. Her left handwas resting upon the iron railing, her right supported her parasol.She nodded to him a little curtly.

  "You promised," he reminded her, "that some day you would come over andhelp me about the garden."

  "Did I?" she answered. "Well, remind me sometime, won't you?"

  "Why not now?" he persisted.

  She shook her head.

  "I have to go and consult with Mrs. Foulds as to where to put all ourvisitors. Charlie Grantham is coming with aunt, I think, and we haveso many rooms closed up. Don't fall into the moat. There's a bridgejust to the left."

  She turned away, and David watched her for several moments before heswung round. He was conscious of a sudden and entirely purposelessfeeling of anger, almost of fury. From the higher slopes of the parkhe turned and looked once more towards Mandeleys. Letitia hadevidently forgotten her household duties. She had thrown herself backin her chair and was once more apparently engrossed in her book.