The Colonel was completely shaken out of his usual composure, and expressed himself in what he was wont to call—“the vulgar—the excessively vulgar tongue.” “I foresee a peck of trouble ahead,” he continued.
“One thing is certain,” said Letty, raising her eyes, “I feel that I hate Mr. Romaine—and with that feeling, I ought not in any event to take his money. And if, as you say, he is merely amusing himself at my expense, and trying to annoy his family, and—and—Ethel Maywood and the Chessinghams, I hate him worse than ever.”
“If such is your feeling, you undoubtedly should protest against Romaine’s action.”
Then there was a commotion in the hall. Farebrother and Sir Archy and Tom Battercake had got home, and there was a rattle of guns on the rack, and Tom Battercake was guffawing over the contents of the game bags.
Both Letty and the Colonel had plenty of self-possession, and no one during the evening would have suspected that anything out of the common had occurred. But Letty went to bed early and lay awake half the night, while her dislike for Mr. Romaine grew like Jonah’s gourd.
Next morning, as soon as the coast was clear, the Colonel sent for Letty into the library.
“I want to say to you, my love,” he began at once, “that I believe this thing that Romaine has done is not done in good faith. He is the sort of man to leave his property to perpetuate his name in a library or something of that kind. And, moreover, if he should even be in good faith, his relations are not the people to let so much money go to a comparative stranger without a struggle. They have been looking to him now, for two generations, to set them on their feet, and they will be infuriated with you. And they will have just cause—for, after reflection, I am convinced that grave injustice will be done if this money comes to you. Then, your personal dislike—”
“Personal dislike! say personal hatred; for I assure you I have felt something more than mere dislike ever since I heard of this. Queer, isn’t it?”
“Not at all,” replied the Colonel, with the ghost of a smile. “Your amiable sex is subject to aberrations of that description. However, I think, on the whole, that nothing but trouble will result if this plan of Romaine’s is carried out—and I would be glad to see it prevented.”
The Colonel had no more idea of the practical value of money than a baby. Nor had Letty much more—and besides, she had youth and beauty and esprit, and so had managed to get on very well so far without a fortune. The Colonel’s views decided her.