“Your Lordship has no heir. Your brother, who stands next in succession, need not marry. This point at once decided, Conway's claim can take its course after Mr. Beecher's demise. The estates secured to your Lordship for life will amply guarantee a loan to the extent you wish.”
“But they are mine, sir; they are mine this moment. I can go into the market to-morrow and raise what amount I please—”
“Take care, my Lord, take care; a single imprudent step might spoil all. If you were to negotiate a mere ten thousand to-morrow, you might be met by the announcement that your whole property was about to be litigated, and your title to it contested. Too late to talk of compromise, then.”
“This sounds very like a threat, Mr. Dunn.”
“Then have I expressed myself most faultily, my Lord; nor was there anything less near my thoughts.”
“Would you like to see my brother? He shall call on you in Dublin; you will be there by—when?”
“Wednesday week, my Lord; and it is a visit would give me much pleasure.”
“If I were to tell you my mind frankly, Dunn,” said the Viscount, in a more assured tone, “I 'd say, I would not give a ten-pound note to buy up this man's whole claim. Annesley, however, has a right to be consulted; he has an interest only second to my own. See him, talk it over with him, and write, to me.”
“Where shall I address you, my Lord?”
“Florence; I shall leave this at once,—to-night,” said Lord Lackington, impatiently; for, somehow,—we are not going to investigate wherefore,—he was impatient to be off, and see no more of those he had been so intimate with.