“Well, and it is,” she said. “There never was a boy so free with his things. Lor’! he used to get into such hot water with his father when first he went to Oxford. There was no question, as you may guess, of his being kept short of money, but naturally his father wanted to hear where it went, and there’s no denying he was a bit extravagant when he first went up, as they say. But when Claude got his cheque-book, to look where and how it had all gone, why, there wasn’t as much as a date or anything on one of the bits you leave in. I never can remember the name.”
“Counterfoils?” suggested Jim.
“Yes, to be sure. And I’ll be bound he doesn’t enter half of them now. And his uncle here played him a trick the other day—didn’t pay in his quarter’s allowance, did you, Alf? And Claude never knew till he was told; just said he was hard up and didn’t know why, bless him. Well, he being his father’s son, it would be queer if he was tight-handed.”
Jim laughed.
“I shall be down on Mr.—Lord Osborne like a knife,” he said, “if he doesn’t pay me his rent.”
“I’ll be bound you will, and quite right too, for money is money when all’s said and done,” said Lady Osborne cordially. “Well, I’m sure that sea trout is very good. I feel as I can take a mouthful more, Thoresby; and give Lord Austell some more. I’m sure I can tempt you, Lord Austell.”
“Nothing easier,” said Jim.
Uncle Alf came and sat next Dora in the drawing room when, after a rather prolonged discussion of the ’40 port, the gentlemen joined the rest of the circle again.
“I came up here from Richmond, making no end of smart speeches in the carriage, my dear,” he said, “in order to make Maria and Eddie jump, but I’ve not said one. She’s a good old sort, is Maria, and she was enjoying herself so. My dear, what’s that great big gold thing they’ve put up above the front door?”
“Oh! a coronet, I think,” said Dora.