Captain Delaware expressed his thanks as warmly as possible, acknowledging, however, that his gratitude was somewhat mingled with surprise, to find that his fair cousin was prepared to be interested in behalf of one who, though akin by blood, was nearly a stranger, as far as acquaintance went.
"That would be a severe reproach to my forwardness, William Delaware," replied the young lady, "if I had not a good motive _in petto_. Besides, I find that, in days of yore, when we were all children, and my good father was alive, that you and I and Blanche, and my brother Henry, have had many a rude game of play among the old trees of Emberton Park. But let us speak to the point, as we may have little time to speak at all. An old friend of yours and mine, good Dr. Wilton, has written to me a long letter, two or three days ago, giving me an account of all this unfortunate business between your father and my uncle, and desiring me, if you ever came to town again, to do my best to forward your views. Now, the truth is, I have no more influence with Lord Ashborough than that screen."
"With a thousand thanks for your kind interest," replied Captain Delaware, "I should still be sorry to owe, even to your influence, what I could not obtain from justice."
"Pride! pride!" cried Miss Beauchamp, "the fault of men and angels! But, let me tell you, my dear cousin, that no man or men have any right to be proud in a woman's presence; for ye are a mere race of bullies at the best, and bow like the veriest slave whenever we choose to tyrannize over you. But to the point. Listen to my sage advice. I was saying, that I had no more influence with my Lord Ashborough than that screen. I am a mere piece of household furniture; and I dare say that I am to be found written down in the inventory thus: 'Front drawing-room--Three tables, four-and-twenty chairs, four sofas, three chaises longues, _a niece_.' I do believe my uncle, when I refused the Honorable Mr. What's-his-name, the other day, which mortally offended his lordship, thought of having me transferred to the schedule of fixtures forthwith. But, nevertheless, as I am a hearing and seeing piece of furniture, I have learned that the only way to manage the Earl of Ashborough, is to be firm, steady, somewhat haughty, and a good deal stern. Remember all this, my dearly beloved cousin, and make use of the hint. But I hear his lordship's morning step, when the neat boot is first, for that day, fitted on to the neat foot. So I will to the breakfast room; and do not forget, when you meet me, to wish me good-morrow in set form and civil terms, and take care that you do not look conscious."
Thus saying, the gay girl ran lightly through the long suite of rooms, leaving Captain Delaware standing nearly where she had found him, with a good deal of admiration at her beauty, and a good deal of surprise at the mingling of kindness both with levity and with the slightest possible spice of coquetry, which she had displayed in their brief conversation.
Ere she was well out of sight, the step that had been heard above might be distinguished descending the stairs. There is not a little character in a step, and the sound of Lord Ashborough's was peculiar. Perhaps the enfeebling power of time--which, what with one aid or another, was not very apparent in his person--marked its progress more decidedly in his step than in any thing else. There was a certain degree of creaking feebleness in it, especially at an early hour of trite morning, when he was just out of bed, which, joined with a slow precision of fall, indicated a declension in the firm and sturdy manhood. His lordship felt it, and in society he covered the slight falling off by an affectation of grave and thoughtful dignity of movement, but his valet-de-chambre knew better.
Captain Delaware, however, did not; and as the earl entered the room with a roll of papers in his hand, like Talma in Sylla--he acted a good deal, by the way--his young relative thought him a very grave and reverend signor; and would rather have lain for an hour alongside an enemy's frigate, yard-arm to yard-arm, than have grappled with so stern and thoughtful a personage, on so disagreeable a business as that which he came to discuss. He had undertaken it resolutely, however, and he was not a man to flinch before any coward apprehensions, moral or physical.
The first expression of his lordship's countenance, when his eyes fell upon his visitor, was not certainly of a nature greatly to encourage him. For a moment--a single instant--nature got the better, and a slight shade of that loathing dislike, with which one regards some poisonous reptile, or the object of some peculiar antipathy, passed over Lord Ashborough's features. It was gone as quickly; and with a much more condescending and agreeable smile than he had bestowed upon him on his former visit, the earl advanced, and welcomed him to London.
Captain Delaware was of course very well disposed to welcome any show of kindness; and he said a few words in regard to his regret at having to trouble Lord Ashborough again.
"Oh! we will speak of all that after breakfast," said the earl. "When last I saw you, I was hurried and fretted by a thousand things, and had no opportunity of showing you any attention. Indeed, I have but little leisure now; the duties of my office--" he held a sinecure post which required him to sign his name twice a year--"the duties of my office claiming great part of my time. But you must really, as long as you remain in London, spend your days here; and my niece, Maria, who has nothing to do, will show you all over the world, under the fair excuse of your cousinship. But let us to breakfast. Maria will not be down for this hour; but I never wait for that lazy girl."