Affair of Pretense

Twenty-six

Several hours later, as one would have expected, the news of the Marquis of Denver's altercation with Mr Lanley had reached the disbelieving ears of some of his relatives. The bearer of the news was Hugo, who lost no time to condemn the actions of his disgraceful cousin after the account was duly recounted to his mother. That Denver should shame a very dignified fellow like Mr Lanley was in itself a circumstance that sparked indignation in their bosoms; but to ruin whatever chances Georgie had at a gambling bet was a piece of infamy both Lady Isabella and Hugo did not think him capable of.

Lady Isabella's first action was to send a note 'round the Marquis' household, begging him to call upon her at his earliest convenience. But when she was met with the information that his lordship was not in the premises, she took it upon herself to visit her brother's lodgings at Piccadilly—a condescension she was obliged, but loathed, to undertake. She found him still lounging in an armchair in a dressing gown, apparently just woken up, and looking very much the worse for wear. As the entrance was unceremonious as the visit was unexpected, at the sight of her, Lord Geoffrey choked on his coffee and swore. "Thunder n' turf, Bella! You have a mighty fine notion how to barge in to someone else's home!"

"Spare me the outrage, Geoffrey! How you could thrive on such slipshod habits as waking up very late in the day and looking utterly wasted is beyond me to fathom!" observed Lady Isabella disdainfully.

"Hang it, what the deuce can you want with me?" he demanded and suddenly recalled last night's misadventures. He groaned. "Denver!"

"Exactly! Now, brother, you will tell me all the details, and why in heaven's sake did you abet and condone this deplorable behaviour of your nephew?"

"Abet and condone—! Well, upon my word! If it were left to me, I'd sooner go to the devil myself! How was I to know he wanted to pull caps with the fellow, eh? It escalated quickly before I had time to blink! Yes, and a pretty mingle-mangle it turned out, by Beelzebub!"

"The details, then, if you please!" said her ladyship briskly.

He eyed her with some annoyance and hesitation. It was on the rarest occasions that his nephew would generously offer to pay for his gambling debts and Lord Goeffrey felt a slight compunction to have him put down in front of their censorious relatives. Upon further reflection, he could put himself in his nephew's good graces and might expect some reward in the near future. He said in a sullen tone, "Now, see here, Isabella! I ain't one to blab behind my nevvy's back: it was deuced unfortunate, but the thing's done! And if all those gibber-cocks were having a feast on it, just let 'em! It ain't got nothing to do with me."

This response met an ominous stare from his sister to which he instantly quailed, shifted uncomfortably on his seat, and pronounced sulkily, "Oh, deuce take it! Very well! Stap me, Bella, you could turn your husband in his grave with that glare! By Jupiter, you could. Where was I? Oh, yes! Well, we were only having civil whiskers, the two of us, then Lanley came into the scene, all polite and proper, you know! Then suddenly Denver just went about betting—as cool as you please!— against his suit for Beatrice's chit. Said if he won, Lanley should cry off, and if he lost he would have the girl marry the fellow in a twinkling!"

"Good heavens!" exclaimed Lady Isabella, aghast.

"Of course Lanley was decent enough to refuse! Very proper chap, you know! All stiff and polite, even when Eve started cutting barbs at him! It was deuced awkward, now that I think of it. Very bad ton, my nevvy! I told him he had no right to be making such a mad wager, and you know what he told me, Bella?"

"Tell me!"

"He said he dashed might well be, for he's soon to be the head of this family!" Geoffrey chortled.