A few yards from the turnstile he overtook Richard Avenel, disguised in a rough great-coat and spectacles. Nevertheless, Harley’s eye detected the Yellow candidate at the first glance. He caught Dick familiarly by the arm. “Well met! I was going to you. We have the election to settle.”
“On the terms I mentioned to your Lordship?” said Dick, startled. “I will agree to return one of your candidates; but it must not be Audley Egerton.” Harley whispered close in Avenel’s ear.
Avenel uttered an exclamation of amazement. The two gentlemen walked on rapidly, and conversing with great eagerness.
“Certainly,” said Avenel, at length, stopping short, “one would do a great deal to serve a family connection,—and a connection that does a man so much credit; and how can one go against one’s own brother-in-law,—a gentleman of such high standing, pull up the whole family! How pleased Mrs. Richard Avenel will be! Why the devil did not I know it before? And poor—dear—dear Nora. Ah, that she were living!” Dick’s voice trembled.
“Her name will be righted; and I will explain why it was my fault that Egerton did not before acknowledge his marriage, and claim you as a brother. Come, then, it is all fixed and settled.”
“No, my Lord; I am pledged the other way. I don’t see how I can get off my word—to Randal Leslie. I’m not over nice, nor what is called Quixotic; but still my word is given that if I retire from the election, I will do my best to return Leslie instead of Egerton.”
“I know that through Baron Levy. But if your nephew retires?”
“Oh, that would solve all difficulties. But the poor boy has now a wish to come into parliament; and he has done me a service in the hour of need.”
“Leave it to me. And as to Randal Leslie, he shall have an occasion himself to acquit you and redeem himself; and happy, indeed, will it be for him if he has yet one spark of gratitude, or one particle of honour!”
The two continued to converse for a few moments, Dick seeming to forget the election itself, and ask questions of more interest to his heart, which Harley answered so, that Dick wrung L’Estrange’s hand with great emotion, and muttered, “My poor mother! I understand now why she would never talk to me of Nora. When may I tell her the truth?”