"Anyhow," cried the old man with sudden fury, "I shall not break up his inheritance. If he lives to do that himself one day, let him. It is like enough he would. He does not take after me. But he is my only son."
The dinner-bell pealed loudly through the house.
"Go!" said the old lord. "You have upset me. I shall not be the better of your visit for a week. Go back to your girls, and come here no more. Be thankful they are strong. Money is not everything."
He shuffled out of the room, and Mr. Graydon followed him.
"Show this gentleman out, Thorndyke," he said, and went without a word of farewell.
"Let me get you a little refreshment, Mr. Archie," said the old servant. "Do, sir! Dear, dear! you are very wet, and to think you have to turn out again without your dinner!"
"No, thank you, Thorndyke. I shall do very well till I get to Euston. I shall have some dinner there before the train starts."
"You are going back to Ireland to-night, sir?"
"Yes, Thorndyke, I must."
"Dear, dear! and you are very wet. Can we do nothing for you, sir? My wife—I married Mrs. Ellis, the housekeeper; you remember, sir?—would be so fretted to see you going off like this. Do let me get you something, sir?"