“Fact of the matter is, old fellow,” said Freddy, entering into the spirit of this, “it’s a dashed difficult thing to do. You leave it to Stobhill!”
“Well, that’s what I shall do,” said Dolphinton, much gratified. “I’m glad you’ve come, Freddy. Sensible fellow. You going to offer for Kitty?”
“That’s it,” replied Freddy.
“You know what?” said Dolphinton. “I hope she takes you. Wouldn’t take Hugh. Wouldn’t take me. George didn’t offer. Couldn’t, because he’s married. Can’t think why he came. Wasn’t invited, you know.”
Hugh said, with a certain deepening of his mellifluous voice: “We are to believe that, Freddy? You have indeed come for that purpose? I own, I had not thought it of you!”
“Well, if it comes to that,” said Freddy, “I hadn’t thought it of you! Never took you for a downy one. Daresay I was misled by those bands of yours: very likely thing to happen!”
“My motive in offering the protection of my name to our unfortunate young cousin is not, I assure you, a mercenary one.”
“Not our cousin,” objected Lord Dolphinton. “George said she wasn’t. Said my uncle told us so. I didn’t follow it all myself, but that’s what George said.”
No one paid any heed to this remark. Biddenden said with some asperity: “This is a new come-out for you, Freddy! Pray, since when have you been hanging out for a rich wife?”
“Took a sudden notion to get married,” explained Freddy, extemporizing cunningly. “Must have an heir!”