Longcluse laughed.
“He has always been very particular and a little tender in that quarter; very sweet upon Lady May, I thought,” said he.
“Oh, very much gone, poor thing!” said Grace Maubray. “I think my guardian will have heard all about it. He was very angry, once or twice, with Richard Arden about his losing so much money at play. I believe he has lost a great deal at different times.”
“A great many people do lose money so. For the sake of excitement, they incur losses, and risk even their utter ruin.”
“How foolish!” exclaimed Miss Maubray. “Have you heard anything more about that affair of Lady Mary Playfair and Captain Mayfair? He is now, by the death of his cousin, quite sure of the title, they say.”
“Yes it must come to him. His uncle has got something wrong with his leg, a fracture that never united quite; it is an old hurt, and I'm told he is quite breaking up now. He is at Buxton, and going on to Vichy, if he lives, poor man.”
“Oh, then, there can be no difficulty now.”
“No, I heard yesterday it is all settled.”
“And what does Caroline Chambray say to that?”
And so on they chatted, till his call was ended, and Mr. Longcluse walked down the steps with his head pretty busy.