“I had always thought till now,” said Bramleigh, slowly, “that the legal mind attached very little importance to the flying scandals that amuse society. You appear to accord them weight and influence.”
“I am not less a man of the world because I am a lawyer, Colonel Bramleigh,” said the other, half tartly.
“If this must be done the sooner it be over the better. A man of high station—a peer—is at this moment paying such attention to one of my daughters that I may expect at any moment, to-day perhaps, to receive a formal proposal for her hand. I do not suspect that the threat of an unknown claimant to my property would disturb his Lordship's faith in my security or my station, but the sensitive dislike of men of his class to all publicity that does not redound to honor or distinction—the repugnance to whatever draws attention to them for aught but court favor or advancement—might well be supposed to have its influence with him, and I think it would be better to spare him—to spare us, too—this exposure.”
“I 'll attend to it immediately. Kelson hinted to me that the claimant was now in England.”
“I was not aware of that.”
“Yes, he is over here now, and I gather, too, has contrived to interest some people in his pretensions.”
“Does he affect the station of a gentleman?”
“Thoroughly; he is, I am told, well-mannered, prepossessing in appearance, and presentable in every respect.”
“Let us ask him over to Castello, Sedley,” said Bramleigh, laughing.
“I 've known of worse strategy,” said the lawyer, dryly.