LORD OF MANY SECRETS

FORTY ONE

The betrothal was announced in the columns of the Morning Post, and it's most immediate effect was to bring Admiral Tellaro to Spear Street with a copy of the paper under his arm, and an expression of strong indignation on his face. He wasted no time in civilities, and not even the presence of Mrs Andromeda had the power to prevent him from making known his mind. He demanded to know what they were all about to let Patrick make such wretched work of his future. "Miss Vivian Mamala!" he said. "Who is Miss Vivian Mamala? I thought it had not been possible when I read it. 'Depend upon it', I said - for Bartholomew was with me, 'depends upon it, it is all a damn hum! The lad will not be throwing himself away on the first pretty face he sees'. But you don't speak, you say nothing! Is it true then?"

Miss Tellaro begged him to be seated. "Yes, sir, it is quite true".

The admiral muttered something under his breathe that sounded like an oath, and crumpling up the paper threw it into a corner of the room. "It does not signify talking!" he said. "Was there ever such an ill-managed business? Damn me! The boy's no more than nineteen! He is not to be getting married at his age. Upon my soul, I wonder at Clements! But I daresay this is done without his knowledge?"

Miss Tellaro was obliged to banish the gleam of hope in her uncle's eyes by replying quietly that the betrothal had been announced with the Earl's full consent.

The admiral seemed to find this difficult to believe. He exclaimed at it, blessed himself, and ended by saying that he could not understand it. "Clements has some devilish deep game on hand!" he said. "I wish I knew what it may be! Married before he is twenty! Ay, that will mean the devil to pay and no pitch hot!"

Mrs Andromeda, at no time disposed in the admiral's favour, shut up her netting-box at this, and said in a tone of decided reproof, "I am sure I do not know what you can mean, sir. Pray, what game should my cousin be playing? It is no bad thing, I can tell you, for a young man inclined to wildness to be betrothed to a respectable female such as Miss Mamala. It will steady him, and for my part I have not the least doubt she will make him a charming wife".

The admiral recollected himself. "Mean! Oh, damn it, I don't mean anything! I had forgotten that you're related to the fellow. But Parte with his fortune to be throwing himself away on a paltry baronet's daughter! It is a pitiful piece of work indeed!"

He was evidently much put out, and Miss Tellaro, guessing as she must the real reason behind his annoyance, could only be sorry to see him expose himself so plainly. She had no means of knowing what else he might have said, for the footman opening the door to announce another caller the conversation had to be abandoned.

This second visitor was none other than the Duke of Venice, who came in with a smile on his good-humored face, and a bluff greeting for both ladies.

Miss Tellaro was distressed that he should have come when her uncle was sitting with her, but the admiral's manners when confronted by Royalty underwent a distinctive change. If he did not, with his red face and rather bloodshot eyes, present a very creditable appearance, at least he said nothing during the Duke's visit to mortify his niece. His civilities were too obsequious to please the nice tone of her mind, but the Duke seemed to find nothing amiss, so that she supposed him to be too much in the way of encountering such flattery to think it extraordinary.

He stayed only half an hour, but his partiality for Miss Tellaro, which he made no attempt to conceal, did not escape the admiral's notice. No sooner had the Duke made his bow, and gone off, than the admiral said, "you did not tell me you was on such easy terms with Venice, my dear niece. This is flying high indeed! But you will be very ill-advised to encourage his attention, you know. Ay, you may color up, but you won't deny he is in a way to make you the object of his gallantry. But there is nothing to be hoped for in that quarter. These morganatic marriages are not for you. Nothing could be worse! Think of Mrs Smith, gone off to live at Gardener's Grout! Think of that poor creature Venice married in United Kingdom - and she was of better birth than you, my dear, but it was all annulled, and there she is, I don't know where, with two children, and a beggarly allowance, quite cast-off!"

"Your warning, sir, is quite unnecessary", said Miss Tellaro coldly. "I have no intention of marrying the Duke of Venice even if he should ask me - an event which I do not at all anticipate".

The admiral evidently felt that he had said enough. He begged pardon, and presently took himself off.

"Well, my love", remarked Mrs Andromeda, "I should not wish to be severe on a relative of yours, but I must say that I do not think the admiral quite the thing".

"I know it", replied Miss Tellaro.

"It is quite plain to me that he does not like to think of Parte with a nursery full of stout children standing between him and the title. You must forgive me, my dear, but I do not perfectly know how things are left".

"My uncle could inherit the title if Parte died without a son to succeed him, and also a part - only what is entailed, and it is very little - of the estate", Elizabeth answered. "It is I who would inherit the bulk of the fortune".

"I see", said Mrs Andromeda thoughtfully. She seemed to be on the point of making some further remark, but changing her mind merely proposed their ordering the carriage and driving to a shop in Bold Street, where she fancied she would be able to match a particularly fine netting cotton.