“Quite a romance, Frederick,” said his lordship, drawing out his snuff-box again.
“No, no!” disclaimed his blushing son. He added hurriedly: “What I mean is, shouldn’t put it like that, myself!”
Lord Legerwood dipped his forefinger and thumb into the box, shook away all but a minute pinch of snuff and held this to one nostril. “It distresses me to reflect that you have been labouring under the pangs of what you believed to be a hopeless passion, and that I remained in ignorance of it,” he observed. “I must be a most unnatural parent. You must try to forgive me, Frederick!”
Thrown into acute discomfort, Freddy stuttered: “N—never thought of such a th-thing, sir! That is—n-not as bad as that! Always very fond of Kit, of course!”
Lord Legerwood, a sportsman and a gentleman, abandoned the pursuit of unworthy game, shut his snuff-box with a snap, restored it to his pocket, and said in quite another voice: “In Dun Territory, Freddy?”
“No!” declared his unhappy son.
“Don’t be a fool, boy! If you’ve steered your barque off Point Non-Plus, come to me for a tow, not to a chancy heiress!”
“It ain’t that at all!” protested Freddy, much harassed. “Mind, I knew that’s what everyone would think, and so I told Kit!”
“I perceive that I have fallen into vulgar error,” said his father. “Accept my apologies! I will refrain from embarrassing you with awkward questions, but may I know for how long I am to have the honour of entertaining Miss Charing? And even—if it is permissible to ask—what I am expected to do on her behalf?”
If there was a barb to this speech, it missed its mark. Relieved to find his parent in so forbearing a mood, Freddy replied gratefully: “Much obliged to you, sir! Never a dab at explaining things! Thing is, Kitty took a fancy to spend a month in London, and I promised she should. Thought m’mother would take her about. Pity I didn’t know about the measles! Makes it all dashed difficult.” He scratched his nose reflectively. “I shall have to hatch some scheme or other,” he decided.