Read Online The Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer - Free Book Online
Authors: Georgette Heyer
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beyond me.” “I didn’t say you were to bear-lead him. You’re an idle, extravagant dog, but your ton is good: you’ll serve as a model for him to copy!”
“If I had had the remotest guess that that was why I was invited I shouldn’t have come!” said Vincent.
“Oh, yes, you would!” retorted his lordship. “And, what’s more, jackanapes, you’ll stay for precisely as long as I choose, unless you have a fancy for paying your own debts in future!” He observed, with satisfaction, that he had at once infuriated and silenced his grandson, and smiled derisively, “Ay, that’s where the shoe pinches, isn’t it? Scorched again?” Regaining command over his temper, Vincent replied coolly: “Oh, no! Just a trifle cucumberish! I own it will suit me pretty well to remain here for the next few weeks—until the quarter, you know!”
“The allowance your father gives you won’t bring you round,” remarked his lordship. “No, sir, but the first October meeting may!” countered Vincent.
“I wish I may see it! Well, I didn’t send for you only for that. Since I can’t keep the fellow out of the family you’d best meet him at the outset, all of you!”
“All of us?” said Vincent. “Are we to have the rare felicity of seeing my aunts here, sir? Not to mention their numerous progeny, and—”
“Don’t be impertinent, sir!” barked his lordship.
Vincent, who knew very well that he was perfectly indifferent to his three married daughters, and, indeed, to all his female descendants, bowed meekly. My lord glared at him for a moment, and then said: “I don’t care how soon the rest of ’em take themselves off, but I want you here.” He paused, frowning. “It’s the boy!” he said abruptly. “I’m not going to have that fellow putting ideas into his head: I’ve had trouble enough over that silly business!” Vincent raised his brows. “Richmond?”
“Ay, Richmond. It’s gone off now, but he was devilish set on joining, six months ago. Fell into flat despair when I told him I wouldn’t have it. Well, as I say, the notion seems to have gone off, and I don’t want him to start moping and pining again. He’s a good boy, but he’s got an odd kick in his gallop, you know. For two pins he’d hang on this fellow’s lips
—make a hero of him, I daresay! Well, he won’t do that while you’re here.” “Won’t he?” said Vincent. “Er—what do I do if I find him talking to our unwanted cousin? Take him by the ear, and haul him off?”
A sardonic smile curled his lordship’s mouth. “You won’t have to. Think I don’t know what he makes of you? Whistle him to heel, and you’ll have him following like a tantony-pig!” The prospect of having an eager stripling following him like a tantony-pig was not one which Vincent could bring himself to contemplate with enthusiasm, but he said nothing, reflecting that it would probably be unnecessary to do more than keep Richmond in a string. There would be no difficulty about that, for it was true enough that the boy liked and admired him. He would almost certainly take his ton from his Corinthian cousin, for to win his approval, to emulate his sporting prowess, had always been the top of his desire. As though he had read Vincent’s mind, Darracott said: “He won’t sit in your pocket. Won’t tease you either. But while you’re here, and he thinks there’s a chance you may take him off to see a mill, or some cocking, or teach him how to handle the reins in form, he’ll pay precious little heed to anyone else.”
Vincent nodded. “Very well, sir: I’ll engage to charm him away from this—What is the fellow’s name?”
Darracott’s face twitched; he replied shortly: “Same as his father’s. Signs himself Hugo. Don’t know why, and don’t like it.”
“Oh, you’ve had letters from him, have you, sir?” “I haven’t. He wrote to Lissett—a damnable scrawl!”
A smile flickered in Vincent’s eyes for an instant, but he
“If I had had the remotest guess that that was why I was invited I shouldn’t have come!” said Vincent.
“Oh, yes, you would!” retorted his lordship. “And, what’s more, jackanapes, you’ll stay for precisely as long as I choose, unless you have a fancy for paying your own debts in future!” He observed, with satisfaction, that he had at once infuriated and silenced his grandson, and smiled derisively, “Ay, that’s where the shoe pinches, isn’t it? Scorched again?” Regaining command over his temper, Vincent replied coolly: “Oh, no! Just a trifle cucumberish! I own it will suit me pretty well to remain here for the next few weeks—until the quarter, you know!”
“The allowance your father gives you won’t bring you round,” remarked his lordship. “No, sir, but the first October meeting may!” countered Vincent.
“I wish I may see it! Well, I didn’t send for you only for that. Since I can’t keep the fellow out of the family you’d best meet him at the outset, all of you!”
“All of us?” said Vincent. “Are we to have the rare felicity of seeing my aunts here, sir? Not to mention their numerous progeny, and—”
“Don’t be impertinent, sir!” barked his lordship.
Vincent, who knew very well that he was perfectly indifferent to his three married daughters, and, indeed, to all his female descendants, bowed meekly. My lord glared at him for a moment, and then said: “I don’t care how soon the rest of ’em take themselves off, but I want you here.” He paused, frowning. “It’s the boy!” he said abruptly. “I’m not going to have that fellow putting ideas into his head: I’ve had trouble enough over that silly business!” Vincent raised his brows. “Richmond?”
“Ay, Richmond. It’s gone off now, but he was devilish set on joining, six months ago. Fell into flat despair when I told him I wouldn’t have it. Well, as I say, the notion seems to have gone off, and I don’t want him to start moping and pining again. He’s a good boy, but he’s got an odd kick in his gallop, you know. For two pins he’d hang on this fellow’s lips
—make a hero of him, I daresay! Well, he won’t do that while you’re here.” “Won’t he?” said Vincent. “Er—what do I do if I find him talking to our unwanted cousin? Take him by the ear, and haul him off?”
A sardonic smile curled his lordship’s mouth. “You won’t have to. Think I don’t know what he makes of you? Whistle him to heel, and you’ll have him following like a tantony-pig!” The prospect of having an eager stripling following him like a tantony-pig was not one which Vincent could bring himself to contemplate with enthusiasm, but he said nothing, reflecting that it would probably be unnecessary to do more than keep Richmond in a string. There would be no difficulty about that, for it was true enough that the boy liked and admired him. He would almost certainly take his ton from his Corinthian cousin, for to win his approval, to emulate his sporting prowess, had always been the top of his desire. As though he had read Vincent’s mind, Darracott said: “He won’t sit in your pocket. Won’t tease you either. But while you’re here, and he thinks there’s a chance you may take him off to see a mill, or some cocking, or teach him how to handle the reins in form, he’ll pay precious little heed to anyone else.”
Vincent nodded. “Very well, sir: I’ll engage to charm him away from this—What is the fellow’s name?”
Darracott’s face twitched; he replied shortly: “Same as his father’s. Signs himself Hugo. Don’t know why, and don’t like it.”
“Oh, you’ve had letters from him, have you, sir?” “I haven’t. He wrote to Lissett—a damnable scrawl!”
A smile flickered in Vincent’s eyes for an instant, but he
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