‘I daresay, but I should not have asked you for an explanation had you not sought this interview.’
‘You should have paid no heed to Miss Wraxton! As for repurchasing my ear-rings, good God, what a fix you have placed me in!’
As she spoke, the door opened behind her, and Hubert came into the room. He was looking extremely white, but perfectly determined, and he said jerkily: ‘I beg pardon, but I have been wanting to speak to you all day, Sophy, and – and to Charles! So I have come!’
Mr Rivenhall said nothing, nor did he cast him more than one of his penetrating glances, but Sophy turned, and held out her hand. ‘Yes, pray come in, Hubert!’ she said, smiling at him.
He took her hand, and pressed it a little convulsively. ‘Cecilia told me about your ear-rings, and all the kick-up – Sophy, was itthat?For if it was, and, indeed, in any event! I can’t and I won’t stand it! I had rather by far tell Charles the whole!’
Her hand returned the pressure of his before releasing it. She said in her calm way: ‘Well, you know, Hubert, I always thought you made a mistake not to tell Charles, for Mr Wychbold told me once that there was no one he would liefer go to in a fix. And ifhecould trust him, how much more reason mustyouhave to do so! I am persuaded you will do much better without me, so I will leave you.’
She did not look at Mr Rivenhall to see what effect her words might have had on him, but walked immediately out of the room.
There had been an effect; Mr Rivenhall said quietly: ‘I think I know what it is, but tell me! Newmarket?’
‘It is worse than that! Oh, yes, I lost at Newmarket, but that’s the least part of it!’ Hubert said.
Mr Rivenhall nodded to a chair. ‘Sit down. What’s the worst part of it?’
Hubert did not avail himself of this invitation. Apprehension made him assume a belligerent tone that in no way expressed hisfeelings. ‘You may as well know that I didn’t tell you the whole of my debts, last year!’
‘Young fool!’ commented his brother, without heat.
‘I know that, but you said – Oh, well, it doesn’t signify talking of that now!’
‘You should know I don’t mean all I say when I am angry. However, if my tongue’s to blame, I’m sorry for it. Go on!’
‘I know I ought to have told you,’ Hubert muttered. ‘And I wish to God I had, instead of –’ He broke off, drew a breath, and started again. ‘I thought I might be able to come about. I – you won’t like this! You need not tell me it was wrong, for I know that! But other fellows –’
‘Well, I won’t tell you it was wrong, then. But let me know what it was, for I am quite in the dark as yet!’
‘I went with – a man I know – to a – place in Pall Mall. And another in St James’s Place. Roulette, and French Hazard! And I lost the devil of a sum of money!’
‘Oh, my God!’ Mr Rivenhall exclaimed sharply. ‘Have we not had enough of that in this family?’
The bitterness in his voice, grown suddenly harsh, made Hubert wince, and retire behind a barrier of sullenness. ‘Well, I knew you would be in a rage, but I don’t see that it was so very bad! I wish I had not had such infamous luck, but everyone plays, after all!’
It seemed for a moment as though his brother would have returned a stinging answer, but he checked himself, and walked over to the window instead, and stood frowning out. After a pause, he said abruptly: ‘Do you know the sum of my father’s gaming debts?’
Hubert was surprised, for the subject had never before been mentioned between them. He replied: ‘No. That is, I do know that they must have been rather heavy, of course, but I never heard the exact sum.’
Mr Rivenhall told him.
There was a stunned silence. Hubert broke it at last. ‘But – but – MyGod, Charles! You’re – you’re not bamming me, are you?’
Mr Rivenhall gave a short laugh.
‘But – Charles,youdid not pay all that?’
‘Hardly. I settled some part, but the estate is still grossly encumbered. I need not take you into all that. Now that my father has given the management into my hands I have a reasonable hope of being able to tow the family out of the river Tick. But compounding with creditors, spending my life contriving ways and means with our man of business is the very devil!’
‘Good God, I should rather think it would be! Listen, Charles, I’m damned sorry I should have added to it all!’
Mr Rivenhall came back to the desk. ‘Yes, I know. Your debt is no great matter, but if gaming is in your blood as well –’
‘Well, it ain’t! You needn’t fear for that, for I don’t care for cards above half, and I can assure you I had no pleasure in going to those damned hells!’ He took a turn about the room, a frown slowly gathering on his brow. He stopped suddenly, and exclaimed: ‘Why didn’t you tell me? Dash it, I’m not a child! You should have told me.’
Mr Rivenhall looked at him, half smiling. ‘Yes, perhaps I should,’ he said mildly. ‘But the fewer people to know the better. Even my mother does not know the whole.’
