“Is he, though?” said Freddy. “Thought he was an ivoryturner myself. Comes to the same thing.”
“Good God, did you know this?” she exclaimed.
“Didn’t know it. Just a notion I took into my head. Fact is, asked m’father to discover who he was. No wish to distress you, Kit, but he ain’t known at the Embassy, and this precious uncle of his don’t seem to exist. At least, very likely he may have a dozen uncles, but there ain’t a Marquis amongst ‘em. No need to get into a taking over that! Don’t have to have Marquises in the family! Quite respectable not to. Well, what I mean is, think of us! We haven’t any!”
“But I cannot think that Camille is at all respectable,” said Kitty, in a small voice. “I very much fear, Freddy, that he is a gamester!”
“He is?” said Freddy, rather pleased. “Just what I said! Te3i you so?”
“Yes. He said also that his father runs a hell!”
“No, does he? Shouldn’t wonder if it was in the Palais Royale,” said Freddy knowledgeably. “Find all the best ones there, so m’father tells me.”
Taken aback, Kitty said: “But, Freddy, is it not very shocking?”
“Well, it ain’t precisely what one wants in the family,” admitted Freddy. “Dashed awkward, if your uncle ran a hell in London, of course, but he ain’t at all likely to, and if only we can hit on a scheme to get rid of this Camille of yours— not that I’ve anything against the fellow, except that it’s as plain as a pikestaff he might easily become a deuced nuisance —we shall be all right and tight.”
“I have the greatest apprehension that there will be some dreadful scandal!” said Kitty. “I see that I must tell you the whole. Freddy, it appears that he has fallen desperately in love with Olivia!”