Robin was made to sit down beside my lady. “I feel sure you are going to entertain me,” she remarked. “I’ve been driven to yawning point: I never could abide a pair of lovers.”
“Oh, I’m come to relieve you, ma’am. I’m to bear Prue off.” He gave her my lord’s letter. “I have this to deliver from my father.”
My lady opened the letter. Said Prudence, twinkling: — “Is it true the old gentleman’s Barham indeed?”
“So he says. I arrived to find him installed at the town house in some state.”
“Lord, it’s a marvellous man!” Prudence said. “We become persons of consequence, and Tony’s denied his cherished role. He’d an ambition to play King Cophetua, Robin.”
“The poor mountain! All your hopes fall to the ground, sir. The old gentleman is like to demand a prince at the least for his daughter.”
“Remains only Gretna,” said Sir Anthony. “Which reminds me — how did you leave Letty Grayson?”
“Reluctantly, my mammoth. Shall we be married all four together and delight the old gentleman with so much display?”
“Oh, we don’t desire to dwarf you, little man!”
My lady looked up from her letter. “I’m bid forth to Barham, Tony. You are all in league to disturb my peace. Well, we’ll see what Thomas says.”