‘I fancy you did know, Kitten,’ he said shrewdly. ‘It ain’t like you not to tell me what tricks you’ve been playing.’
She hung her head. ‘Well, I – well, I did not feelquitecomfortable,’ she confessed. ‘But that was mostly because I feared you would be cross with me for going to that house, and gaming for such high stakes.’
‘So I am,’ he said. ‘What were the stakes?’
‘F-fifty pounds, Sherry,’ she whispered.
He gave a whistle. ‘Were they, by God! What’s the figure?’ He glanced down at the bowed head. ‘Come along, brat! I won’t eat you!’
‘Oh, Sherry, I lost over five thousand pounds!’ Hero blurted out.
His lordship preserved his control over himself with a strong effort. After a moment of inward struggle, he said: ‘Drawing the bustle with a vengeance, weren’t you? No, don’t cry! It might have been worse. But what possessed you, you little simpleton,to throw good money after bad? For I know very well you went a second night to that curst hell! Had you no more sense than to allow yourself to be plucked again? Good God! is gaming in your blood?’
‘Oh, no, no, I am sure it is not, for I was never more uncomfortable in my life! Indeed, I wish I had not gone back, but I did it for the best, Sherry, and truly I thought you would have told me to if I could but have asked you!’
‘Thought I – thought I –?’ gasped his lordship. ‘Have you gone mad, Hero?’
‘But, Sherry, you told me yourself, when your uncle Prosper had been teasing you, that the only thing to be done was to continue playing, because a run of bad luck could not last for ever, and –’ She broke off, alarmed by the expression on his face. ‘Oh, what have I said?’ she cried.
‘It’s what I have said!’ replied Sherry. ‘No, no, don’t look like that, Kitten! It’s all my curst fault! Only I never dreamed you’d pay the least heed – Lord, I might have known, though! Kitten, don’t listen to me when I talk such nonsense!’
Her eyes were fixed on his face enquiringly. ‘But it is not true, after all, Sherry?’ she asked. ‘I must say, it did not seem to be true, for I lost more heavily than ever, but I thought perhaps I had not persevered for long enough. Only I disliked it so very much that I gave it up in despair.’
‘Well, thank God for that!’ he said. ‘No, it’s not true – at least – dash it, I mean –’
‘I see!’ she said helpfully, clasping his hand, and giving it a squeeze. ‘You mean it is the same as going to the Royal Saloon: you may do so, but I must not, on account of being a female.’
‘Yes, that’s it. No, it ain’t, though!’ said Sherry, his natural honesty asserting itself. ‘It ain’t true for either of us, brat, and if we don’t care we shall find ourselves in the basket. Lord, I couldn’t tell you the fortunes which have changed hands overthe gaming-table! It’s what finished Brummell, and poor Tallerton, and that fellow Stoke prosed on about – fellow who hanged himself from a lamp-post, or some such flummery!’ He laughed, as Hero instinctively clutched his arm. ‘No, I don’t mean to follow his example, never fear! I’ll see Stoke to-morrow, and settle with Howard and Gibbs, and you need not think any more about it.’
‘Yes, but I know it will mean that you must sell out those things Mr Stoke does not like you to sell, and –’
‘That’s my affair.’
‘It isn’t, Sherry: it is mine! I must own, it would be a great relief not to be owing money to strangers, but if you are to pay for me I will pay it back to you out of my pin-money.’
He gave her cheek a rub. ‘Silly little puss! No, we shall be all right and tight, you’ll see! But there’s another thing I want to know! Who introduced Mrs Gillingham to you, brat?’
‘Well, no one, Sherry. She introduced herself. She said she was a friend of yours.’
‘Are you telling me that that harpy had the effrontery to call upon you?’ he demanded.
‘No, for she told me she had been in poor health, and so could not do so.’
‘Ha!’ ejaculated his lordship. ‘Very pretty, by Jove! She would not dare!’
‘Oh, dear, I was afraid she could not be quite the thing when I saw the kind of company she kept!’ Hero said remorsefully. ‘For when I went to her house there was no one there whom I was acquainted with, except Sir Matthew Brockenhurst, and Wilfred Yarford, and I know you do not like me to be upon terms with them.’
‘They saw you there? Damnation!’ muttered his lordship.
‘They – they did not pay much heed to me, Sherry, and I only bowed very slightly, I assure you!’
‘It’s not that. If Yarford saw you, it will be all over town! Nothing could be more unfortunate! We shall have all the old tabbies – yes, and not only the old ones! – spreading it about that you’re fast. I dare say Brock may keep his mouth shut: dash it, he calls himself a friend of mine! Though, by God, if he were half the friend he’d like me to think him he’d have had you out of that den, and escorted you home! Why, Gil or George, or even Ferdy, wouldn’t have hesitated! However, it’s too late to worry ourselves over that now! Wheredidyou meet the Gillingham?’
‘At the Pantheon Assembly Rooms, Sherry. There was a masquerade.’
‘Whom were you with?’
‘With my cousin, Theresa Hoby, and a party of her choosing.’
