Here she managed to get through the "scene," such as it was. Sir Gambier Strife was a man to whom time and place were all-important, and as the time of Term was inevitably linked with the place of School, he felt justly indignant at the separation of the two. "Whooping-cough! People were such milksops nowadays. When he was a boy the sooner one got whooping-cough the more one's relations were pleased. How old was Tony? Sixteen? Then the sooner she had whooping-cough the better."
This, however, was all said in rather a low voice, Sir Gambier realising as much as any one the importance of not clogging his wife's soul with matter.
By the time he entered the drawing-room, he was talking of other things.
"I was down at Wilderwick this evening—you know that place at the bottom of Wilderwick hill, where the Furlongers live?"
"Yes. Sparrow Hall."
"That's it. Well, this evening there was a flag tied to the chimney. I asked old Carter what it was all about, and he said they're expecting the other brother home—the one that's been in gaol for the last three years."
"It's a long time since I've seen the Furlongers," said Awdrey, "they've been lying low for the last few months, and I don't think I've ever seen the one who's been in gaol."
"I saw him three years ago, just after we came here. He was swaggering about the Kent end of their land with his gun. He won't do much swaggering there in future. By Jove! it must have hit 'em hard to sell that property to old Lowe."
"They've only got a poky little farm now. But, father, do tell us what he's like, that youngest Furlonger—he sounds interesting."
"Oh, he wasn't much to look at—a great strong fellow, for ever showing his teeth. But I've been told he's got brains, plenty of 'em, wouldn't have landed himself in prison if he hadn't."