Part 15 (1/2)
My lord divested hi cloak and shook out his hitherto tucked-up ruffles
Fro coat he drew a snuff-box, which he opened languidly With his eyes resting quizzically on O'Hara's face, he took a delicate pinch of snuff and hed
”What's this?”
”This, my dear friend, is Sir Anthony Ferndale, Bart!” He boith great flourish
”Ye look it But come over here, Sir Anthony Ferndale, Bart, and tell e of the desk and swung his leg
”Well really, I do not think there is much to tell that you do not already know, Miles
You know all about Dare's card-party, for instance, precisely six years ago?”
”'Tis just exactly what I do not know!” retorted O'Hara
”You surprise ht the tale was rife”
”Now, Jack, will ye have done drawling atI'm your friend-”
”But are you? If you know the truth about me, do you feel inclined to call me friend?”
”There never was a time when I would not have been proud to call ye friend, as ye would very well have known, had ye been aught but a da hothead! I heard that crazy tale about the card-party, but do ye think I believed it?”
”It was the obvious thing to do”
”Maybe, but I fancy I know ye just a little too well to believe any cock-and-bull story I'h to have believed it, do ye think I'd be going back on ye? Sure, 'tis a poor friend I'd be!”
Jack stared down at the toe of his right boot in silence
”I know souessed happened at that same party, and I have me suspicions, but 'tis your affair, and whatever ye did ye had your reasons for But, Jack, why in the name of wonder must ye fly off to the devil alone knohere, without so ood-bye to anyone?”
Carstares never raised his eyes from the contemplation of that boot He spoke with difficulty
”Milesin my placewould you not have done the same?”
”Well-”
”You know you would Was it likely that I should inflict ht of ht his hand down sht ye less of a young fool! I would have gone aith ye, and nothing would have stopped me!”
Jack looked up and ht of that-andandI could not be sure How should I knohether you would even receive ht-I was horribly afraid”
The hand on his knee tightened
”Ye foolish boy! Ye foolish boy!”
Bit by bit he drew the story of the past six years out of Carstares, and though it was a very h to read between the lines
”And now,” said Jack, when the recital was over, ”tell me about yourself When did you ?”
”Ye rogue! Ishe is, isn't she? And upstairs there's a little chapyour Godson”
”You lucky fellow! My Godson, you say? Could you not find anyone more worthy for that? I want to see him”
”So ye shall presently Have ye seen Richard?”
”A year ago I held up his coach 'Twas dark, and I could scarce see hied! Ye wouldn't be afther knowing hih I swear 'tis no wonder with that hussy about the house! Lord, Jack, you ell out of that affair with her ladyshi+p!”
Carstares nursed his foot reflectively
”Lavinia? What ails her?”
”Nought that I know of, save it be her shrewish te's life she leads poor dick”
”Do you mean to say she does not love dick?”
”I cannot saysometimes she's as affectionate as you please, but at others she treats hie And the money she spends! Of course, sheelse to count with her”
Jack sat very still
”And anyone but a young fool like yourself would have seen that!”
A gleam of amusement shot into the wistful blue eyes
”Probably Yourself, for instance?”
O'Hara chuckled
”Oh, ay, I kneas the ; and now there's not so s to you”