"Did you ring, sir?" said a footman.
"Yes, Thomas. Go to Mr Charles's room, and tell him that I should be
glad of half an hour's conversation with him before he goes out, if he
can make it convenient."
The library-door of Blandfield Court closed; and after taking a turn or
two up and down the room, Sir Philip Vining--a fine, florid, grey-headed
old gentleman--stood for a moment gazing from the window at the sweep of
park extending down to a glittering stream, which wound its way amidst
glorious glades of beech and chestnut, bright in the virgin green of
spring. But anxious of mien, and ill at ease, the old gentleman stepped
slowly to the handsome carved-oak chair in which he had been seated, and
then, intently watching the door, he leaned back, playing with his
double gold eyeglass.
Five minutes passed, and then a step was heard crossing the hall--a step
which made Sir Philip's face lighten up, as, leaning forward, a pleasant
smile appeared upon his lip. Then a heavy bold hand was laid upon the
handle, and the patient of Dr Tiddson--fair, flushed, and
open-countenanced--strode into the room, seeming as if he had brought
with him the outer sunshine lingering in his bright brown hair and
golden beard. He swung the door to with almost a bang; and then--free
of gait, happy, and careless-looking, suffering from no broken rib,
fractured clavicle, or concussed brain, as predicted three months
before--he strode towards Sir Philip, who rose hurriedly with
outstretched hands.
"My dear Charley, how are you this morning? You look flushed. Effects
remaining of that unlucky fall, I'm afraid."
"Fall? Nonsense, dad! Never better in my life," laughed the young man,
taking the outstretched hands and then subsiding into a chair. "Mere
trifle, in spite of the doctor's long phiz."
"It is going back to old matters, but I'm very glad, my dear boy, that I
saw Max Bray, and learned of your condition; and I've never said a word
before, Charley, but why should you send for him in preference to your
father?"
"Pooh!--nonsense, dad! First man I thought of. Did it to save you
pain. Ought to have got up, and walked home. But there, let it pass.
Mind my cigar?"
"No, no, my dear boy, of course not," said the old gentleman, coughing
slightly. "If it troubles me, I'll open the window."
"But really, father," said the young man, laying his hand tenderly on
Sir Philip's arm, "don't let me annoy you with my bad habit."
"My dear boy, I don't mind. You know we old fogies used to have our bad
habits--two bottles of port after dinner, to run down into our legs and
make gouty pains, eh, Charley--eh? And look here, my dear boy--look
here!"
Charley Vining laughed, and, leaning back in his chair, began to send
huge clouds of perfumed smoke from his cabana, as his father drew out a
handsome gold-box, and took snuff _a la_ courtier of George the Fourth's
day.
"I don't like smoking, my boy; but it's better than our old drinking
habits."
"Hear--hear! Cheers from the opposition!" laughed the son.
"Ah, my dear boy, why don't you give your mind to that sort of thing?
Such a fine opening as there is in the county! Writtlum says they could
get you in with a tremendous majority."
"Parliament, dad? Nonsense! Pretty muff I should be; get up to speak
without half-a-dozen words to say."
"Nonsense, Charley--nonsense! The Vinings never yet disgraced their
name."
"Unworthy scion of the house, my dear father."
"Now, my dear Charley!" exclaimed Sir Philip, as he looked with pride at
the stalwart young fellow who was heir to his baronetcy and broad acres.
"But, let me see, my dear boy; John Martingale called yesterday while
you were out. He says he has as fine a hunter as ever crossed country:
good fencer, well up to your weight--such a one as you would be proud of
I told him to bring the horse on for you to see; for I should not like
you to miss a really good hunter, Charley, and I might be able to screw
out a cheque."
"My dear father," exclaimed the young man, throwing his cigar-end
beneath the grate, "there really is no need. Martingale's a humbug, and
only wants to palm upon us some old screw. The mare is in splendid
order--quite got over my reckless riding and the fall. I like her
better every day, and she'll carry me as much as I shall want to hunt."
"I'm glad you like her, Charley. You don't think her to blame?"
"Blame? No! I threw her down. I like her better every day, I tell
you. But you gave a cool hundred too much for her."
"Never mind that. By the way, Charley, Leathrum says they are hatching
plenty of pheasants: the spinneys will be full this season; and I want
you to have some good shooting. The last poacher, too, has gone from
the village."
"Who's that?" said Charley carelessly.
"Diggles--John Diggles. They brought him before me for stealing
pheasants' eggs, and I--and I--"
"Well, what did you do, dad? Fine him forty shillings?"
"Well, no, my boy. You see, he threw himself on my mercy--said he'd
such a character no one would employ him, and that he wanted to get out
of the country; and that if he stopped he should always be meddling with
the game. And you see, my dear boy, it's true enough; so I promised to
pay his passage to America."
"A pretty sort of a county magistrate!" laughed Charley. "What do you
think the reverend rectors, Lingon and Braceby, will say to you? Why,
they would have given John Diggles a month."
"Perhaps so, my dear boy; but the man has had no chance, and--No; sit
still, Charley. I haven't done yet; I want to talk to you."
"All right, dad. I was only going to give the mare a spin. Let her
wait." And he threw himself back in his chair.
"Yes, yes--let her wait this morning, my dear boy. But don't say `All
right!' I don't like you to grow slangy, either in your speech or
dress." He glanced at the young man's easy tweed suit. "That was one
thing in which the old school excelled, in spite of their wine-bibbing
propensities--they were particular in their language, dressed well, and
were courtly to the other sex."
"Yes," yawned Charley; "but they were dreadful prigs."
"Perhaps so--perhaps so, my dear boy," said the old gentleman, laying
his hand upon his son's knee. "But do you know, Charley, I should like
to see you a little more courtly and attentive to--to the ladies?"
"I adore that mare you gave me, dad."
"Don't be absurd. I want to see you more in ladies' society; so
polishing--so improving!"
"Hate it!" said Charley laconically.
"Nonsense--nonsense! Now look here!"
"No, dad. Look here," said Charley, leaning towards his father and
gazing full in his face with a half-serious, half-bantering smile
lighting up his clear blue eye. "You're beating about the bush, dad,
and the bird won't start. You did not send for me to say that
Martingale had been about a horse, or Leathrum had hatched so many
pheasants, or that Diggles was going to leave the country. Frankly,
now, governor, what's in the wind?"
Sir Philip Vining looked puzzled; he threw himself back in his chair,
took snuff hastily, spilling a few grains upon his cambric shirt-frill.
Then, with his gold-box in his left hand, he bent forward and laid his
right upon the young man's ample breast, gazing lovingly in his face,
and said:
"Frankly, then, my dear Charley, I want to see you married!"
Volume 1, Chapter IV.