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He himself was very busy. Only two days before a groom had presentedhimself at St. James's Square, bearing a missive from Harper, veryillegible and ill-spelt, but to the point:
"YR. GRACE,
"I have took the liberty of engageing this Man, Douglas, in Yr. Name. Ihope I shall soon be Able to have carrid out the Rest of yr. Grace'sInstructions, and trust my Connduct will met with Yr. Grace's Approvall.
Very Obed'tly,
M. HARPER."
* * * * *
Tracy confirmed the engagement and straightway dispatched the man toAndover, where the head groom would undoubtedly find work for him to do.He was amused at the blind way in which the man had walked into histrap, and meditated cynically on the frailty of human nature, whichwill always follow the great god Mammon.
Not three days later came another letter, this time from Mr. Beauleigh,addressed to him at White's, under the name of Sir Hugh Grandison. Itasked for the man Harper's character.
His Grace of Andover answered it in the library of his own home, andsmiled sarcastically as he wrote Harper down "exceeding honest andtrustworthy, as I have always found."
He was in the middle of the letter when the door was unceremoniouslypushed open and Andrew lounged into the room.
His Grace looked up frowning. Not a whit dismayed by the coolness of hisreception, his brother kicked the door to and lowered his long limbsinto a chair.
"May I ask to what I owe the honour of this intrusion?" smiled Tracydangerously.
"Richard," was the cheerful reply, "Richard."
"As I am not interested in either him or his affairs--"
"How truly amiable you are to-day! But I think you'll be interested inthis, 'tis so vastly mysterious."
"Indeed? What is the matter?"
"Just what I want to know!"
Tracy sighed wearily.
"Pray come to the point, Andrew--if point there be. I have no time towaste."
"Lord! Busy? Working? God ha' mercy!" The young rake stretched his legsout before him and cast his eyes down their shapeliness. Then hestiffened and sat up, staring at one white-stockinged ankle.
"Now, damn and curse it! where did that come from?" he expostulatedmildly.
"Where did _what_ come from?"
"That great splash of mud on my leg. Brand new on this morning, and I'vescarce set my nose without doors. Damn it, I say! A brand new--"
"Leg?"
"Hey? What's that you say?"
"Nought. When you have quite finished your eulogy, perhaps you wouldconsent to tell me your errand?"
"Oh, ay!--but twenty shillings the pair! Think of it! ... Well, thepoint--there is one, you see--is this: it is Richard's desire that youhonour him with your presence at Wyncham on Friday week, at three in theafternoon exactly. To which effect he sends you this." He tossed aletter on to the desk. "You are like to have the felicity of meeting methere."
Tracy ripped open the packet and spread the single sheet on the deskbefore him. He read it through very deliberately, turned it over, as ifin search of more, re-read it, folded it, and dropped it into thewastebasket at his side. He then picked up his quill and dipped it inthe ink again.
"What think you?" demanded Andrew, impatiently.
His Grace wrote tranquilly on to the end of the line.
