“He has never kept me short of money. In any event, since I was twenty-one I have been at liberty to draw what I please. It is only my principal I may not tamper with.”
“Well, if he would let you I would not! I am not such a sponge! I was only bamming!”
“Matt, what is it?”
Another long silence followed this question, but the sympathy in his cousin’s voice won Matthew’s confidence. “Gilly, I am run off my legs—all to pieces!” he said, sounding very much more like a scared schoolboy than a young gentleman about to enter on his third year at the University.
The Duke tucked a hand in his arm. “We’ll raise the wind, Matt, never fear! But what is it? You are not scorched to that figure!”
“Oh, no, it’s not debt! But I don’t know what to do! It’s breach of promise!”
The Duke was somewhat staggered by this revelation.
“Breach of promise! Matt, I don’t know what you have been doing, but who the devil could be suing you for such a sum as that?”
“Not me! Suing you! Through my father, I daresay. To keep our name out of court! Everyone knows how rich you are!”
“What a fool I am!” said Gilly slowly. “Of course! But did you make an offer of marriage to this female?”