“I never heard anything about your boy’s birth,” said Lord Teignmouth, in a surprised tone; “and when you consider that he is heir to two estates, and an earldom into the bargain, it would have been natural to herald his birth with a flourish of trumpets.”
“How do you mean heir to an earldom?” said Sir Lawrence.
“I’ll tell you when we get inside,” replied Lord Teignmouth grimly; and he did not speak again until they were alone at Sir Lawrence’s rooms, and the other had assured him there was no fear of interruption. Then he said coolly and abruptly:
“Pauline has run away from me.”
“Good heavens!” exclaimed the young baronet. “Why?”
“Because she liked somebody else better, I suppose,” continued Lord Teignmouth, with assumed carelessness. “There is no answering for a woman’s fancies. Her accursed vanity makes her such an easy prey that you may always be sure she will run away from you sooner or later if any one takes the trouble to tempt her.”
“She would find it a perilous pastime if she belonged to me,” returned Sir Lawrence, with gleaming eyes, “unless she ran away alone.”
The earl shrugged his shoulders and laughed.
“It is much better to be philosophical. Besides, Pauline has been deceiving me for years, and I feel as if I am well rid of such a woman on any terms.”
“How did it happen?”