"With this ruin impending over you, you come to me to ask my sanction of the last step, and on the way here you amuse yourself by indulging in a vulgar ale-house brawl with one of my people, outside my gates—within sight of the house!"
Lord Blair sank into the chair, and smiled.
"Oh, that," he said, easily—"oh, that was nothing, sir. The fellow deserved all he got and more. 'Pon my word I couldn't help it. It was—but you've heard all about it, I daresay?"
"I have heard that you had a vulgar quarrel with one of the worst characters in the place, and indulged in a fight with him, sir," said the earl, his eyes flashing for a moment, then growing hard and cold. "But I forget. You say it was nothing. That which I deem a degradation, the future Earl of Ferrers may regard differently. But this I may be permitted to ask: that you will choose some other locality than Leyton for the exhibition of your brutality."
A hot response sprung to the lips of Lord Blair, but with an effort he choked it back.
"We won't say any more about the affair, sir," he said, "except that if it were to be done again, I'd do it!"
"I don't doubt you, sir," said the earl, coldly.
There was a pause, then the young man rose.
"I take it I can raise the money on Ketton, then?" he said.
The earl stared at the floor moodily.