“It is some years, Sir Howard, since we parted, and I must candidly say, I did not expect that we should meet again; but having a strong desire to be of service to a most amiable young lady, I was prevailed upon to wait upon you. Therefore, at the request of Miss Arden, whose generous nature shrinks from the prospect of law proceedings between near relations, and that her name should come before the public on a question of birth——”
“I confess,” interrupted the Baronet, “I do not quite understand you, Captain O’Loughlin; I have no near relations beyond my own family that I know of.”
“A very few words more,” observed O’Loughlin, haughtily, “will explain my meaning. Miss Arden, or rather Etherton, as she is entitled to bear that name, requests me to say that—provided there is no opposition to her claims, on your part, or to her assuming the rightful name, and no doubts raised about her birth—she is quite willing to resign all claims to her portion of the Etherton property you now hold.”
“In other words, Captain O’Loughlin,” interrupted the Baronet, in a cutting tone, “you offer me a bribe to acknowledge an impostor as my cousin?”
The eyes of the Irishman flashed dangerously, as the Baronet, who saw the coming storm, hastened to add: “Such may, I say, be the case; for who can tell? It would be against my conscience.”
“Oh! to the—then,” muttered O’Loughlin; seeing a lady present, he merely said, “Oh, do not distress your conscience, Sir Howard. When we two served on board the old Victory, you were not much troubled with that scarce commodity. Now——”
“I will thank you, Captain O’Loughlin,” interrupted Sir Howard, with a flush upon his cheek, rivalling the hue on the nose of his astonished sister, “to confine yourself to the object of your visit. All I have to say is, that I will never acknowledge the young person you speak of as relative of mine, till the very fullest proofs of her birth are furnished. There are no proofs of Mr. Granby Arden having contracted marriage with any lady; therefore, once for all, I tell you, I shall oppose the person calling herself Mabel Arden, claiming the name of Etherton, to the full extent of my power.”
“By the powers of love, you are welcome to do so; I am glad to hear it;” his cheek flushing anger and contempt, as he rose from his seat. “You will be sorry for this, ere long. I was against making you the offer, because we know that Miss Arden’s mother, the Duchess of Coulancourt, is now in Paris, restored to her estates, and living under the protection of the Directory—”
The Baronet started, and evidently changed colour; but Captain O’Loughlin continued quite unconcerned. “Therefore, though there may be a little delay in communicating with Madame Coulancourt, and some caution, as the Directory are stringent respecting communication with England, we shall be able to obtain all the particulars of her marriage, and the birth of her two children. By-the-bye, it has been whispered that young Julian Arden, supposed to have perished at the siege of Lyons, escaped; or at all events there is no proof of his death. So now, having fulfilled the wishes of Miss Arden, and relieved her feelings of regret at proceeding against you in this case, without first amicably trying to settle it, I shall wish you good morning;” and with a cold bow to the stupefied Miss Jane, whose thin nose became purple, whilst her cheeks grew proportionately paler, Captain O’Loughlin walked out of the room, with a light and easy step, and as he descended the stairs, the confounded and bewildered Baronet caught the sound of his voice humming the air of “The girl I left behind me.”
Captain O’Loughlin, passing out from the house, mounted his horse, that a groom held, satisfied in his mind that he had left the honourable Baronet quite sufficient to employ his thoughts.