Adrien pa.s.sed his hand over the satiny coat of the race-horse. The dainty creature p.r.i.c.ked up his finely-pointed ears, and turned to his master with a whinny of delight.
"He looks well enough," he admitted. "Has he had his gallop this morning?"
"Yes, sir; but would you like to see him across the paddock?"
"Yes," said Adrien. "By the way, who rides him to-morrow?"
"Peac.o.c.k, sir."
"Ah, the new jockey."
"Yes, sir; Mr. Vermont"s lad," returned the groom.
"A good seat?" asked Adrien.
"Capital, never saw a better, sir, and weighs next to nothing. I"ll send for him." He whistled, and half a dozen stable helpers rushing forward, he despatched them to find the jockey. While waiting, the groom had the precious "King" brought into the yard and saddled; and in a few moments the man arrived. Markham had called him a lad; but in reality he was almost middle-aged, with the stunted stature of a child. Adrien looked him over critically.
"So you ride the "King" to-morrow?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," replied the dwarf humbly.
"Let me see you take him round the paddock," said Adrien. The man threw off his coat, showing himself to be in shabby riding costume; then, vaulting into the saddle, he took the racer to the meadow at the back of the stable-yard. Adrien watched the bird-like flight of the superb animal, and nodded approvingly when he presently returned to the starting-point.
"You"ll do," he said, as the jockey dismounted; "ride like that to-morrow, and we shall win. There is something for you, but no drinking, mind."
He held out a ten-pound note as he spoke. The man stared at it for a moment, then crouching almost like a dog, took it gingerly by the edge.
"Don"t be afraid, man; one would think you expected a blow," said Adrien, with a smile.
Touching his forelock, the man took the note, and Adrien turned away. As he walked out of the stable-yard he happened to glance back at Markham, who was re-covering the "King," and he saw that the jockey was still gazing after him, with a tense, almost longing expression in his small, deep-set eyes.
"Poor devil!" said Leroy to himself as he went up the drive, "I must get Jasper to do something for him, especially if he wins--I only hope he doesn"t get drunk!"
In the courtyard Lady Constance"s horse and his own were waiting for him and in a few moments the girl herself appeared, accompanied by the ever-smiling Jasper Vermont.
Blessed by nature with a good figure, Art, as represented by French modistes and Redfern, had put the finishing touches, with the result that Lady Constance Tremaine, whether in evening dress or the blue cloth riding-habit of the field, was a joy to the eye. As she stood now, waiting Adrien"s approach, he could not help mentally contrasting her natural, spiritual type of beauty with the made-up and coa.r.s.ened charms of Ada Lester, and he wondered how he could have been so blind as not to notice it before.
He was not the only one who admired her. Jasper Vermont had elected himself as the girl"s chief slave, and whenever he was at Barminster Castle invariably managed to carry out her lightest whims--indeed, would even endeavour to forestall them. Now it was he who attended to her saddle, and helped her into it before Adrien had fully realised what he was about to do; and for once Leroy experienced just the least feeling of resentment towards his devoted friend.
For a while the two rode almost in silence; but after the first canter Adrien reined up his horse close to that of his companion. Lady Constance purposely brought the conversation round to his estates, for, with all his dissipation and languor, Leroy was no indifferent landlord, and Lord Barminster invariably referred all complaints--such few as there were--to his son.
"I"m sorry you would not renew the lease for Farmer Darrell," she said gently; "he is almost heart-broken at having to leave Briar Farm."
Adrien pulled up his horse sharply.
"Farmer Darrell to leave Briar Farm!" he said quickly. "What do you mean, Constance?"
She looked at him steadily, as she replied:
"I rode over there yesterday, and found them all in great trouble. They told me Mr. Vermont, acting under your orders, had refused to grant them new leases. I promised to speak to Uncle Phillip; but you know how angry he gets whenever any one mentions Mr. Vermont"s name, so I thought I would ask you myself." She blushed crimson, as if at her own boldness.
"Of course, you mustn"t do it just on my account, but--"
"Mustn"t I?" interrupted her cousin, looking keenly, almost affectionately at the slim, girlish figure, and pretty piquant face. "I should certainty grant whatever you asked me if it lay in my power. As a matter of fact, however, I think Jasper said that, as they were unable to make Briar Farm pay, would I lower the rent; and as that would be creating a precedent for all the other tenants--I refused."
Lady Constance nodded her head. "Quite right," she agreed; "but I happen to know that the farm does pay splendidly, and--"
"In any case, Constance," interrupted Adrien, almost tenderly, "it is quite sufficient, if you wish it so. But I think--I am sure--Jasper must have made a mistake."
Lady Constance did not reply, but wisely changed the subject; she was too clever to pursue her advantage, and she had gained her point--sown the least little doubt of Mr. Jasper Vermont"s rect.i.tude in Adrien"s mind.
Meanwhile, Mr. Vermont had also betaken himself to the stables; but he did not ask to see "King Cole"--contenting himself with beaming admiringly on Mr. Markham, while the head groom held forth on all the precautions he was taking with regard to the precious animal"s safety.
"An" if he"s got at, Mr. Vermont, sir, I"ll eat my head," was his parting speech.
In reply to which Mr. Vermont murmured inaudibly, as he walked away: "It"s a lucky job, my good fellow, that I shan"t make you keep your word!"
At the end of the plantation, beyond the stable buildings, there was a little cottage attached to the straw-yard. Having reached this, Jasper listened attentively; then, without any warning knock, he lifted the latch, and entered.
To all appearances the room was empty, save for some pieces of poor furniture. But the visitor, blinking at the sudden transition from light to darkness, walked over to a rough couch, where lay the misshapen jockey Peac.o.c.k, either asleep or deep in thought. Jasper shook him angrily by the shoulder, and a sullen scowl darkened the little monkey-like face as he recognised his visitor.
"Well?" he said gruffly, without attempting to change his position.
"Short, and not polite!" retorted Jasper, shaking him again. "Didn"t I tell you I"d come here to-day, you imp of darkness?"
"You did, guv"nor," the man replied sullenly.
"Well, here I am. You"re not drunk, are you? Here--let"s look at you."
With a cruel smile, the soft, amiable Mr. Vermont seized the ear of the dwarfed jockey and dragged him to the light. "No, not drunk--for a wonder. Well, you know what to do to-morrow?"
The man nodded sulkily.
"Tighten and choke off at the last hurdle. Mind you do it neatly, too.
You _can_ do it, I know; and it won"t be the first little affair you"ve sold, eh? You sold one too many, though, when you crossed my path, and you know what will happen if you fail me."
"All right," the jockey muttered hoa.r.s.ely.
"I hope it will be all right," said his persecutor, shaking him gently to and fro by the ear. "If not, you"ll find yourself in the care of a paternal Government--I tell you--picking oak.u.m."
The man gave a sudden jerk and released himself from the cruel grasp; then he looked up almost piteously.
"Must we do it, guv"nor?" he said hoa.r.s.ely. "I"ve seen "im----"
"Him! whom, you idiot?"
"Him--Mr. Leroy--as we"re to sell."
"You"re to sell, you mean, you gallows-bird," returned Jasper.
The man eyed him viciously.