CHAPTER 42

Again at Killancodlem

Silverbridge remained at Crummie-Toddie under the dominion of Reginald Dobbes till the second week of September.  Popplecourt, Nidderdale and Gerald Palliser were there also, very obedient and upon the whole efficient.  Tregear was intractable, occasional, and untrustworthy.  He was the cause of much trouble to Mr Dobbes.  He would entertain a most heterodox and injurious idea that he had come to Crummie-Toddie for amusement, and he was not bound to do anything that did not amuse him.  He would not understand that in sport as in other matters there was an ambition, driving man on to excel always and be ahead of others.  In spite of this Mr Dobbes had cause for much triumph.  It was going to be the greatest thing ever done by six guns in Scotland.  As for Gerald, whom he had regarded as a boy; and who had offended him by saying that Crummie-Toddie was ugly,—­he was ready to go round the world for him.  He had indoctrinated Gerald with all his ideas of a sportsman,—­even to a contempt for champagne and a conviction that tobacco should be moderated.  The three lords too had proved themselves efficient, and the thing was going to be a success.  But just when a day was of vital importance, when it was essential that there should be a strong party for a drive, Silverbridge found it absolutely necessary that he should go over to Killancodlem.

‘She has gone,’ said Nidderdale.

‘Who the ——­ is she?’ asked Silverbridge almost angrily.

‘Everybody know who she is,’ said Popplecourt.

’It will be a good thing when some she has got hold of you, my boy, so as to keep you in your proper place.’

’If you cannot withstand that sort of attraction you ought not to go in for shooting at all,’ said Dobbes.

‘I shouldn’t wonder at his going,’ continued Nidderdale, ’if we didn’t all know that the American is no longer there.  She has gone to—­Bath, I think they say.’

‘I suppose it Mrs Jones herself,’ said Popplecourt.

‘My dear boy,’ said Silverbridge, ’you may be quite sure that when I say that I am going to Killancodlem I mean to go to Killancodlem, and that no chaff about young ladies,—­which I think very disgusting,—­will stop me.  I shall be sorry if Dobbes’s roll of the killed should be lessened by a single hand; seeing that his ambition sets that way.  Considering the amount of slaughter we have perpetrated, I really think that we need not be over anxious.’  After this nothing further was said.  Tregear, who knew that Mabel Grex was still at Killancodlem, had not spoken.

In truth Mabel had sent for Lord Silverbridge, and this had been her letter.

’My dear lord Silverbridge,

’Mrs Montacute Jones is cut to the heart because you have not been over to see her again, and she says that it is lamentable to think that such a man as Reginald Dobbes should have so much power over you.  ‘Only twelve miles,’ she says, ’and he knows that we are here!’ I told that you knew Miss Boncassen was gone.