The old earl passed his white hands over each other—just as he did in the House when he was about to make a speech.
"Lenore is one of the most beautiful and charming women it has been my fate to meet; she has been regarded by your mother, and I may say by myself, as a daughter. The prospect of receiving her at your hands as one in very truth affords me the most intense pleasure."
"Thank you, sir," said Leycester.
The earl coughed behind his hand.
"I suppose," he said, with a glance at the haggard face, "there will be no delay in making your happiness complete?"
Leycester almost started.
"You mean——?"
"I mean your marriage," said the earl, staring at him, and wondering why he should be so dense and altogether grim, "of course, of course, your marriage. The sooner the better, my dear Leycester. There will be preparations to make, and they always take time. I think, if you can persuade Lenore to fix an early date, I would see Harbor and Harbor"—the family solicitors—"at once. I need hardly say that anything I can do to expedite matters I will do gladly. I think you always had a fancy for the place in Scotland—you shall have that; and as to the house in town, well if you haven't already thought of a place, there is the house in the square——"
Leycester's face flushed for a moment.
"You are very good to me, sir," he said; and for the first time his voice showed some feeling.