"As to the other affair," said Cashel, approaching h.o.a.re, "I will accompany you to town. I will see Don Pedro myself."
"That will be difficult, sir. I am not at liberty to mention his place of abode; nor does he wish his presence here to be known."
"But to _me_," said Cashel, "this objection cannot apply."
"His orders are positive, and without qualification; but any proposition which you desire to submit--"
"Can come through Mr. h.o.a.re?" said Cashel, sneer-ingly. "I prefer doing these things in person, sir."
"Leave this to me," whispered Tiernay; "I"ll manage him better."
Cashel squeezed his friend"s arm in a.s.sent, and turned away; while h.o.a.re, reseating himself, proceeded to draw out the bill for Cashel"s signature.
"You are aware," said Tiernay, "that Corrigan can give you nothing but personal security for this sum, and the lease of Tubber-beg?" But Cashel did not heed the remark, deep as he was in his own reflections. "There is a small sum--a few thousand pounds--of Mary"s, settled at her mother"s marriage. You are not attending to me," said he, perceiving the pre-occupation of Roland"s look. "I was mentioning that Mary Leicester--"
"Yes," said Cashel, talking his thoughts aloud, "to marry her would, indeed, be the true solution of the difficulty."
"What did you say?" whispered Tiernay, upon whose ear the muttered words fell distinctly.
"She would refuse me," Roland went on; "the more certainly that I am rich. I know her well; the rank, the station, the thousand flatteries that wealth bestows, would be things for her mockery if unallied with power."
"You are wrong, quite wrong," said Tiernay; "her ambition is of a different order. Mary Leicester--"
"Mary Leicester!" echoed Cashel; and, in his suddenly awakened look, Tiernay at once perceived that some mistake had occurred. h.o.a.re relieved the awkwardness of the moment as he said,--
"This wants but your signature, sir, and the matter is finished."
Cashel wrote his name on the bill and was turning away, when h.o.a.re said,--
"These are the bills; they are now your property, sir."
"For what purpose?"
"They are vouchers for your claim on Mr. Corrigan," said h.o.a.re.
"His word will suffice," said Cashel; and, gathering them up, he hurled them into the fire.
"A costly blaze that," said h.o.a.re, as he watched the conflagration.
"Speak to him, doctor; learn what you can of Rica for me. If money will do it, I "ll not quarrel with the price," said Cashel to Tiernay, in a low tone. "Another point,--I was nigh forgetting it,--you "ll not tell Mr. Corrigan how the matter has been arranged. Promise me this. Nay, I have a reason for it,--a reason you shall hear to-morrow or next day, and will acknowledge to be good. Keep my secret for a month; I ask no longer."
"For a month, then, I am silent," said Tiernay.
"Let me see you to-morrow early," said Cashel. "Will you breakfast with me?"
"No; I "ll not risk my character by going twice to your grand house in the same week; besides, I am going to Limerick."
"Good-night, then," said Cashel; "good-night, sir." And with a formal bow to h.o.a.re, Roland left the room, and took his way homeward alone.
CHAPTER XIII. CIGARS, eCARTe, AND HAZARD
The Devil"s back-parlor--a bachelor"s room.
Milyard.
While Cashel continued his way homeward, a very joyous party had a.s.sembled in Lord Charles Frobisher"s room, who were endeavoring, by the united merits of cigars, ecarte, hazard, and an excellent supper, of which they partook at intervals, to compensate themselves for the unusual dulness of the drawing-room. It is well known how often the least entertaining individuals in general society become the most loquacious members of a party a.s.sembled in this fashion. The restraints which had held them in check before are no longer present; their loud speech and empty laughter are not any longer under ban, and they are tolerated by better men, pretty much as children are endured, because at least they are natural.
At a round table in the middle of the room were a group engaged at hazard. Upton was deep in ecarte with his brother officer, Jennings, while Frobisher lounged about, sipping weak negus, and making his bets at either table as fancy or fortune suggested. The supper-table had few votaries; none, indeed, were seated at it save Meek, who, with a newspaper on his knee, seemed singularly out of place in the noisy gathering.
"Eleven"s the nick--eleven! I say, Charley, have at you for a pony,"
called out a boyish-looking dragoon, from the middle table.
"You"re under age, young gentleman," said Frobisher; "I can"t afford to bet with you. Wait a moment, Upton, I "ll back you this time. Twenty sovereigns--will you have it?"
"Done!" said Jennings, and the game began.
"The King," cried Upton; "I propose."
"To which of them?" said a sharp-looking infantry captain, behind his chair.
"Olivia, of course," slipped in Jennings.
"I "d give fifty pounds to know if they have the money people say,"
cried Upton.
"Meek can tell you; _he_ knows everything. I say, Downie," said Jennings, "come here for a moment, and enlighten us on a most interesting point."
"Oh dear! what is it? This room is so very cold. Don"t you think, Frobisher, that a double door would be advisable?"
"A green one, with a centre pane of gla.s.s, would make it devilish like a "h.e.l.l,"" said Upton; upon which the company all laughed approvingly.
"What is it you want?" said Meek, approaching, gla.s.s in hand.
"Play out the game, and have your gossip afterwards," said Frobisher, who felt far more anxious about the fate of his twenty pounds than for the result of the conversation.
"A queen of hearts," said Upton, leading; then, turning to Meek, said, "These Kennyf.e.c.k girls--can you tell what the figure is?"
"Poor dear things," said Meek, piteously; "they should be very well off."
"I score two!" said Upton. "Well, have they twenty thousand each?"
"I should say more. Oh dear me! they must have more! Kennyf.e.c.k holds a heavy mortgage on Kilgoff"s estate, and has a great deal of other property."
"Then it would be a good thing, Meek, eh?" said Jennings.