“Beyond Mr. Clitheroe’s reach!” replied the Duke. “Constables and magistrates I can deal with to admiration, but not— not, I know well, Mr. Clitheroe!”
He returned to his charges half an hour later with the information that they were bound for Aylesbury in a hired chaise. Belinda, who was making an excellent meal, accepted this without question, but Tom thought poorly of it, and demanded to be told why they must go to such a stuffy place.
“Because I find that there is a coach which runs from Aylesbury to Reading,” replied the Duke. “We may board that tomorrow, and from Reading we can take the London stage to Bath.”
“It would be more genteel to go in a post-chaise,” said Belinda wistfully.
“It would not only be more genteel, it would be by far more comfortable,” agreed the Duke. “It would also be more expensive, and I have been drawing the bustle to such purpose this day that my pockets will soon be to let.”
“Well, I would rather go on the stage!” said Tom, his eyes sparkling. “I shall ride on the roof, and make the coachman give me the reins! I have always wanted to tool a coach! I shall gallop along at such a rate! What a jest it would be if we overturned!”
This agreeable prospect made both him and Belinda laugh heartily. The Duke sent him off to pack up his belongings, devoutly trusting that there did not exist a coachman mad enough to entrust the ribbons to him.
Chapter XIX
While these stirring events were taking place in Hitchin, Mr. Liversedge was still knocking abortively on Captain Ware’s door. He gained admittance to the chambers at about the time the Duke and his two charges set out from the Sun Inn in a hired chaise, with Aylesbury for their destination.
The gin with which Wragby had so lavishly supplied him made Mr. Liversedge feel very unwell; and a night spent upon the kitchen floor had given him, he complained, a stiff neck. An assurance from Wragby that a halter would soon cure this was received by him in high dudgeon. He spoke with great dignity for several minutes, but to deaf ears. Wragby recommended him to shut his mummer, and to make haste and shave himself, since the Captain would certainly refuse to take such an oyster-faced rogue up beside him in his curricle. Mr. Liversedge said that he had no desire to be taken up beside the Captain. “In fact,” he added austerely, “the less I see of a young man whom I find unsympathetic in the extreme the better pleased I shall be!”