The Duke's Sweetheart: A Romance. Dowling Richard
I think his only friend."
"'"I am glad to have this opportunity of having a little chat with you, for the news I have for him is not only good, but so astoundingly good that we must break it to him gently. I will not now trouble you further than to ask you if you can tell me who Mr. Antony Belmore's father was, and where and when was Mr. Belmore born? We know all about it. I ask the question merely to put all doubt of his identity out of the way finally."
"'"Mr. Belmore-whom I have known since we were boys, and whose father I also knew-is the only son of George Belmore, of Berley, in Lincolnshire. I think Mr. Belmore is about fifty years of age."
"'"All right, all right! You may break to him as gently as you can that he has fallen into an exceedingly good thing. Our firm has just found out he is heir to a fine estate. You will, I trust, excuse me for having taken the liberty of bringing this with me: but we thought it possible Mr. Belmore might want a little money before he opens his own banking account to-morrow or the day after. You will, I think, find fifty in notes and fifty in gold here."
"'"Thank you very much, I'm sure. It was very thoughtful of you to bring this. Would it put you to any inconvenience if we did not call upon you for a couple of hours instead of half an hour? Some of this" – he held up the money-"might in the meantime be usefully employed."
"'He touched his coat with his other hand.
"'"Oh, I understand," said the lawyer with a sympathetic look towards the door, behind which the poor gentleman concealed his poverty. "Let it be two hours. That will be-let me see-five o'clock. Good-day."
"'"Good-day," said De Montmorency, dropping the money into his trousers pocket. "The shock of knowing he had fallen into even a hundred pounds would be too great now."
"'He re-entered the room. "It was really good news, after all-I don't know how good yet; but, anyway, 'tis good enough for him to give me some money for you on account."
"'"Did he give you enough to pay Watkins?"
"'"How much is that?"
"'"One pound eighteen and sixpence."
"'"Oh, yes. He gave me five pounds. Here you are. Come now, and put on your hat. You see this lawyer believes in your luck, or he wouldn't put down his money without even being asked."
"'"And do you, too, believe there is some good luck in store for me?"
"'"Most emphatically."
"'"Then I'll go and pay Watkins, and never come back again."
"'"You must send for those things."
"'"Those wretched things! Why should I send for them? They would only bring up many of my cruellest memories."
"'"Ay, but you mustn't leave them here; you must take them away, if you only burn them. Suppose you are to turn out very lucky? Suppose you are the real King of Burmah; then, of course, these things will be bought up, and exhibited as curiosities. But come, put on your hat. We won't waste time with Watkins. Come out, and we will have something better in the form of luncheon than we were just about to eat. I have arranged with the lawyer that we need not call upon him for a couple of hours.
"'"Belmore had eaten the slice of bread and rasher. He had drunk a little of the gin, too, and had already begun to revive. Casting a look down at his wretched clothes, he said:
"'"De Montmorency, it was very good of you to prevent the lawyer seeing how things are here. But I am not much better off now. I am scarcely in a plight to call upon this gentleman."
"'"That will be all right. Suppose he gave me ten instead of five pounds for you? You can get all you want. Finish your gin, and I'll have some, and then we will go."
"'In a few minutes they were in Holborn. De Montmorency took Belmore into a ready-made clothing shop, and got him a suit of clothes, an ulster, and a hat. They came out, and then got boots and gloves. After this, De Montmorency surveyed his friend from top to toe, and muttered with a sigh:
"'"You'll do. Now let us go and have a good solid meal somewhere. But stay. Ask me to dine or lunch with you, Belmore; for you are the financier. I am only your agent."
"'"Where shall we go, De Montmorency?"
"'"To The Holborn."
"'"But I am afraid you have already spent more than the lawyer gave you."
"'"Let us go to The Holborn, by all means. As to money, that lawyer gave me a hundred pounds, not ten; and now here is the balance in gold, notes, silver, and copper."
"'"A hundred pounds! It must be good luck, indeed, when he gave you a hundred pounds! Why, this morning I should have thought ten pounds miraculous luck, and here now am I getting a hundred on account! De Montmorency, it must be wonderful luck!"
"'They went to The Holborn, and had a substantial luncheon, and a bottle of burgundy between them. Belmore paid the, bill, and gave the waiter half-a-crown. He said "Thank you, sir. Very much obliged, indeed;" and flew for Belmore's ulster as though Satan were at his heels.
"'When they got into the street, Belmore called a hansom, and told the man to drive to Jackson and Connington, Lothbury. As soon as the cab drew up, De Montmorency said:
"'"I'll wait for you in the cab. I'll ask the driver to let down the glass, and I shall be all right and comfortable."
"'"But won't you come up with me?"
"'"No, I think it better not, I am almost sure the lawyers do not want me, and I should not like to feel that, if I went up. I shall be quite comfortable. Run away now, Belmore, and hurry back and tell me you are the real King of Burmah."
"'Belmore did not care to force him against his wish; so he stepped out of the cab and walked into the house and upstairs.
"'He had been gone about half an hour, when a man dashed out of that door and rushed at the hansom, crying:
"'"Engaged?"
"'"Yes, sir."
"'"By whom?"
"'"Tall gentleman in ulster coat-gone upstairs half an hour ago."
"'"All right! You'll do! He's taken suddenly ill, and I want you to drive me for a doctor. The job is a sovereign, remember!"
"'"But there's a gentleman inside."
"'"De Montmorency knocked at the glass, and the driver drew it up. De Montmorency said to the man on the pathway:
"'"Mr. Belmore ill, did you say?"
"'"Yes, sir; taken suddenly ill."
"'De Montmorency leaped out, crying:
"'"Jump in, jump in! I'll run up and see him."
"'When he reached the room where Mr. Jackson and his partner stood, he found Belmore lying on a couch deadly white.
"'"Mr. de Montmorency, this is my partner, Mr. Connington. Mr. Connington, this is Mr. de Montmorency, a friend of his Grace."
"'"His Grace be-!" said De Montmorency. "I am a friend of Mr. Belmore. What's the matter with him?"
"'"His Grace the Duke of Fenwick has fainted upon hearing the honours and wealth that have suddenly come upon him.'*
"'"And who, in the name of Heaven, is His Grace the Duke of Fenwick?"
"'"The person you knew as Mr. Antony Belmore is Duke of Fenwick, with a rent-roll of ninety thousand a year!"'"
Here Cheyne finished reading, and throwing down the proofs, said:
"Well, May, what do you think of it?"
"Oh, I think it very clever indeed, only-only-"
"Yes, my ungrateful and critical sweetheart?"
"Only-only-doesn't everyone know who the heir to a dukedom is, like the heir to a kingdom?"
"No; everyone knows nothing."
"But doesn't the Duke himself know who his heir is? Or doesn't the House of Commons, or someone?"
"Dukes know absolutely nothing at all, and the House of Commons knows less."
While