"Yes," said his wife. "They warned us in Ghent not to proceed farther, as we should certainly be obliged to fly from Brussels, so naturally your grandfather had the horses put to immediately."
He regarded her with a grim little smile. "You were not behind hand, Mary!"
"Certainly not. All this dashing about makes me feel myself a young woman again. Which reminds me that I must call upon my new granddaughter. You will give me her uncle's direction, Bab."
"Understand me, Mary -"
"I will give it to you, ma'am, but you must know that Mr Fisher regards the match with quite as much dislike as does my grandfather."
This remark brought a sparkle into the Duke's eye. "He does, does he? Go on, Miss! Go on! What the devil has he against my grandson?"
"He thinks him a spendthrift, sir."
"Ha! Damned Cit! He may consider himself lucky to have caught George for his nobody of a niece!"
"As to that, Lucy is his heir. I fancy he was looking higher for her. Her fortune will not be inconsiderable, you know, and in these days -"
"So he was looking higher, was he? An Alastair is not good enough for him! I'll see this greasy merchant!"