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"Yes, if you like!" and Charlemont laughed "I don't bet much, but I'll bet anything you choose to name on that. Maryllia Vancourt will never, unless she is bound, gagged and drugged into it, become Duchess of Ormistoune." "Shall we say a tenner?" suggested Courtenay, writing the bet down in his notebook. "Certainly." "Good! I take the other side. I know something of Roxmouth, he's seldom baffled.
The men talked the incident of the day over among themselves when they were left to their coffee and cigars, and discussed the probabilities and non-probabilities of Miss Vancourt becoming the Duchess of Ormistoune, with considerable zest. "She'll never have him she hates him like poison!" declared Lord Charlemont. "Not surprised at that," said another man "if she knows anything about him!"
And Longford stole a furtive look round at the man who was his chief literary patron "The aunt is handsome, well- preserved, not more than forty-five at most and I should say she is a woman who could be easily led through vanity." "The aunt!" again murmured Roxmouth "My dear Longford! What an appalling suggestion! Mrs. Fred as the Duchess of Ormistoune! Forbid it, Heaven!"
But he was naturally anxious that the future Duke of Ormistoune, when he had secured Mrs. Fred Vancourt's millions, should not expend his powerful patronage to a country clergyman who might, from a 'Savage and Savile' point of view, be considered an interloper. So he replied with caution: "I believe he dabbles a little in literary and archaeological pursuits, many parsons do.
A certain vague awe stole over the gossips, however, when they heard that, whether rapid or non-rapid, 'Maryllia Van, as Sir Morton Pippitt persisted in calling her, was likely to be the future Duchess of Ormistoune.
"Oh, really! -and his name ?" "Lord Roxmouth; will be Duke of Ormistoune " "Good gracious! THAT woman a Duchess!" snorted Mrs. Mordaunt Appleby, as she heard "The men must be going mad!" Which latter remark implied that had she not unfortunately married a brewer, she might easily have secured the Ormistoune ducal coronet herself.
She will contrast Roxmouth with the rural boors, and as a mere matter of good taste, she will acknowledge his superiority. And she will do as I wish in the long run, she will be Duchess of Ormistoune." The long lazy afternoons of July, full of strong heat and the intense perfume of field-flowers, had never seemed so long and lazy to John Walden as during this particular summer.
And by and by the people began to settle down, into the normal quietude which had been more or less their lot, before Maryllia, with her vivacious little musical protegee Cicely Bourne had awakened a new interest and animation in the midst of their small community, and they began to resign themselves to the idea that her 'whim' for residing once more in the home of her childhood had passed, and that she would now, without doubt, marry the future Duke of Ormistoune, and pass away from the limited circle of St.
"I'm sure he's no worse than other men!" she said "And he's perfectly devoted to you! It would be much better to be Duchess of Ormistoune, than a poor lonely old maid looking after geniuses. Geniuses are perfectly horrible persons! I've had experience with them.
And thus it very naturally happened that in the companionship of the future Duke of Ormistoune, Sir Morton did not shine. His native vulgarity came out side by side with his childish pomposity, and Roxmouth, after studying his habits, customs and manners for two or three days, began to feel intensely bored and out of humour.
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