Faro's Daughter Read online

  But Ravenscar knew Ormskirk too well to feel easy in his mind. If Miss Grantham were to decide that marriage with Adrian would be better worth her while than a more elastic connexion with Ormskirk, Adrian would have acquired a very dangerous enemy. No consideration of his youth would weigh for an instant with one whose pride it was to be considered deadly either with the small-sword, or the pistol. It was perfectly well known to Ravenscar that Ormskirk had thrice killed his man in a duel; and he began to perceive that the extrication of his cousin from Miss Grantham's toils was a matter of even greater urgency than he had at first supposed.

  The third gentleman who appeared to have claims on Miss Grantham was the man who had so cheerfully hailed him upon his first approaching the table. He seemed to be on intimate terms with the lady, but was resented neither by Adrian nor by Lord Ormskirk. He was a pleasant fellow, with smiling eyes, and an engaging address. Mr Ravenscar would have been much surprised to have found that he was not a soldier of fortune. Miss Grantham called him Lucius; he called Miss Grantham his darling, with an easy familiarity that indicated long friendship, or some fonder relationship. Miss Grantham, thought Mr Ravenscar, was altogether too free with her favours.

  At one in the morning she relinquished the E.O. table, calling upon Mr Lucius Kennet to take her place at it. 'Ah, I'm tired, and want my supper!’ she said. `My Lord, will you take me down to supper? I swear I'm famished!’

  'With the greatest pleasure on earth, my dear,' said Lord Ormskirk, in his weary voice.

  `Oh course I will take you down, Deb!’ said Lord Mablethorpe, offering his arm.

  She stood between them, laughing dismay in her eyes, looking from one to the other. `Oh, I am overwhelmed, but indeed, indeed-'

  Ravenscar walked forward. `Madam, you stand between two fires! Allow me to rescue you! May I have the honour of taking you down to supper?'

  `Snatching a brand from the burning?' she said, in a rallying tone. `My lords!' She swept them a deep curtsey. `Pray forgive me!'

  `Mr Ravenscar wins all,' said Sir James Filey, with one of his mocking smiles. `It is the way of the world!'

  There was a flash of anger in her eyes, but she pretended not to hear and passed out of the room on Ravenscar's arm.

  There were already several people in the dining-room on the ground-floor, but Ravenscar found a seat for Miss Grantham at one of the smaller tables arranged beside the wall, and, having supplied her with some pickled salmon, and a glass of iced champagne, he sat down opposite her, picked up his own knife and fork, and said: `You must allow me to tell you, Miss Grantham, that I count myself fortunate in their lordships' misfortune.'

  The corners of her mouth lifted. `That's mighty pretty of you, sir. I had the oddest fancy that you were not much in the way of making pretty speeches.'

  `That depends on the company in which I find myself,' he replied.

  She eyed him speculatively. `What brought you here?' she asked abruptly.

  `Curiosity, Miss Grantham.'

  `Is it satisfied?'

  `Oh, not yet, ma'am! Let me give you some of these green peas : they are quite excellent!’

  `Yes, we pride ourselves on the quality of our suppers,' she said. `Why did you play at E.O.? Is not faro your game?'

  `Curiosity again, Miss Grantham. My besetting sin.' `Curiosity to see a female elbow-shaker, sir?'

  `Just so,' he agreed.

  `Was that why you came?'

  `Of course,' he said coolly.

  She laughed. `Well, I did not think when I saw you that you were a gamester!’

  'Did you take me for a flat, Miss Grantham?'

  Her eyes twinkled rather attractively. `Why, yes, for a moment I did! But Lord Ormskirk put all my hopes to flight. The rich Mr Ravenscar's luck at the bones or the cards is proverbial.'

  `It was out tonight.'

  `Oh, you do not care a fig for that silly game! I wish you may not break my aunt's faro-bank.'

  `If you will inform the stalwart person at your door that I am free to enter the house, I promise I shall endeavour to do so when I come again.'

  `You must know that all doors are open to the rich Mr Ravenscar - particularly such doors as this.'

  `Make it plain, then, to your henchman, or you may have a brawl upon your doorstep.'

  'Ah, Silas is too knowing a one! Only law-officers and their spies are refused admittance here, and he would smell one at sixty paces.'

  `What a valuable acquisition he must be to you!'

  `It would be impossible to imagine an existence without him. He was my father's sergeant. I have known him from my cradle.'

  `Your father was a military man?' said Mr Ravenscar, slightly raising his brows.

  `Yes, at one time.'

  `And then?'

  `You are curious again, Mr Ravenscar?'

  `Very.'

  `He was a gamester. It runs in the blood, you observe.'

  `That would account for your presence here, of course.'

  `Oh, I have been familiar with gaming-houses from my childhood up! I can tell a Greek, or a Captain Sharp, within ten minutes of his entering the room; I could play the groom porter for you, or deal for a faro-bank; I can detect a bale of flat conquer deuces as quickly as you could yourself; and the man who can fuzz the cards when I am at the table don't exist.'

  `You astonish me, Miss Grantham. You are indeed accomplished!’

  `No,' she said seriously. `It is my business to know those things. I have no accomplishments. I do not sing, or play upon the pianoforte, or paint in water-colours. Those are accomplishments.'

  `True,' he agreed. `But why repine? In certain circles they may be de rigueur, but they would be of very little use to you here, I imagine. You were wise to waste no time on such fripperies: you are already perfect for your setting, ma'am.'

  `For my setting!' she repeated, flushing a little. `The devil! Your cousin is more complimentary!'

  `Yes, I daresay he is,' replied Ravenscar, refilling her wineglass. `My cousin is very young and impressionable.'

  `I am sure you, sir, are certainly not impressionable.'

  `Not a bit,' he said cheerfully. `But I am perfectly ready to pay you any number of compliments, if that is what you wish.'

  She bit her lip, saying, after a moment, with a suggestion of pique in her voice: `I don't wish it at all.'

  `In that cast,' said Ravenscar, `I feel that we shall deal extremely together. Do you play piquet?'

  `Certainly.'

  'Ah, but I mean do you play well enough to engage in a rubber with me?'

  Miss Grantham eyed him with considerable hostility. `I am thought,' she said coldly, `to have a reasonably good understanding.'

  `So have many others I could name, but that does not make them good card-players.'

  Miss Grantham sat very straight in her chair. Her magnificent eyes flashed. `My skill at cards, Mr Ravenscar, has never yet been called in question!'

  `But you have not played with me yet,' he pointed out. `That is something that can be mended!’ she retorted.

  He lifted an eyebrow at her. `Are you sure you dare, Miss Grantham?’

  She gave a scornful laugh. `Dare! I? I will meet you when

  you choose, Mr Ravenscar, the stakes to be fixed by yourself!' `Then let it be tonight,' he said promptly. `Let it be at once!' she said, rising from her chair. He too rose, and offered his arm. His countenance was perfectly grave, but she had the impression that he was secretly laughing at her.

  On the staircase they met Lord Mablethorpe, on his way down to supper. His face fell when he saw Miss Grantham. He exclaimed: `You have not finished supper already! I made sure of finding you in the dining-room! Oh, do come back, Deb! Come and drink a glass of wine with me!’

  `You are too late,' said Ravenscar. `Miss Grantham is promised to me for the next hour.'

  `For the next hour! Oh, come now, Max, that's too bad! You are quizzing me!'

  'Nothing of the sort: we are going to play a rubber or two of piquet.'

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