“Nothing, father; none have ever presumed to say a word against it. In talking the matter over, however, with some members of the Cabinet, one or two suggested Dunnscourt, but the majority inclined to Castledunn.”
“And what did your Lordship say?” asked the old man, with a gleeful cackle. “Oh, Davy! I never thought the day would come that I 'd call you by any name I 'd love so well as that you bore when a child; but see, now, it makes my old eyes run over to speak to you as 'my Lord.'”
“It is a fair and honest pride, father,” said Dunn, caressingly. “We stormed the breach ourselves, with none to help, none to cheer us on.”
“Oh, Davy, but it does me good to call you 'my Lord.'”
“Well, sir, you are only anticipating a week or two. Parliament will assemble after the elections, and then be prorogued; immediately afterwards there will be four elevations to the peerage,—mine one of them.”
“Yes, my Lord,” mumbled the old man, submissively.
“But this is not all, father; the same week that sees me gazetted a peer will announce my marriage with an Earl's daughter.”
“Davy, Davy, this luck is coming too quick! Take care, my son, that there's no pit before you.”
“I know what I am doing, sir, and so does the Lady Augusta Arden. You remember the Earl of Glengariffs name?”
“Where you were once a tutor, is it?”