LORD OF MANY SECRETS

THIRTY NINE

Patrick stiffened. "What do you mean?" he asked.

The Earl raised his eyes for a moment, and coldly looked his ward over. "Between you, you and your sister credit me with an obscurity of meaning which I am unaware of having done anything to deserve. It really doesn't amuse me. I mean precisely what I say".

"But you can't refuse to let me have money to pay my debts of honor!" said Patrick indignantly.

"Can't I?" said the Earl. "I was under the impression that I could".

"Damn, I never heard of such a thing! I must pay my debts!"

"Naturally", agreed the Earl.

"Well, how the devil can I if you won't loosen the purse strings?" demanded Patrick. "You must know my pockets are pretty well empty till the next quarter!"

"I didn't know it, but I don't find it very hard to believe. You have all my sympathy".

"Sympathy! What's the use of that to me?" cried Patrick, a good deal injured.

"I'm afraid it isn't of any use to you at all", said Clements. "We are wandering a little from the point, are we not? You owe me something over four thousand pounds - of you look over those I Us you may find out the exact sum for yourself - and I am anxious to know when you propose to pay me".

"You are my guardian!" said Patrick hotly. "You have control of all my fortune!"

The Earl lifted one well manicured hand. "Oh no, Patrick! You must leave me as your guardian quite out of this discussion, if you please. As your guardian I have already intimated that I have no intention of assisting you to game your fortune away. As your creditor I am merely desirous of knowing when it will suit your convenience to redeem these note".

By this time Patrick was feeling very limp, but he kept his chin up, and said in as even a voice as he could manage, "in that case, sir, I shall have to ask you to have the goodness to wait until next quarter day, when I shall be able to pay you - not all, but a large part of the sum I owe you".

The Earl once more looked him over in a way that made the unfortunate Patrick feel very small, and hot, and uncomfortable. "Perhaps I should have told you - in the character of your guardian - that it is customary to settle your debts of honor at once", he said gently.

Patrick flushed, gripped his hands together on his knee, and muttered, "I know".

"Otherwise", said the Earl, delicately adjusting one of the folds of his cravat, "you may find yourself obliged to resign from your clubs".

Patrick got up suddenly. "You shall have the money by tomorrow morning, Lord Clements", he said, his voice trembling. "Had I known - had I guessed the attitude you would choose to assume I should have arranged the payment before every I called on you".

"Let me make one thing quite plain to you - I am speaking once more as your guardian, Patrick. - If I find at any time during the next two years that you have visited my friends Herbert and Gibbs, or, in fact, any other money lender, you will return to Tellaro until you come of age".

Very white about the mouth, Patrick stared down at the Earl, and said rather numbly, "what am I to do? What can I do?"

The Earl pointed to the chair. "Sit down".

Patrick obeyed, and sat with his eyes fixed anxiously on his guardian's face.

"Do you quite understand that I mean what I have said? I will neither advance you money for your gaming debts, nor permit you to go to the Jews".

"Yes, I understand", said poor Patrick, wondering what was to become of him.

"Very well then", said Clements, and picked up the little sheaf of papers, tore them once across, and dropped them into a waste paper basket under the dressing table.

Patrick's first emotion at this unexpected action was one of staggering relief. He gave a gasp, and his color came flooding back. Then he got up quickly, and thrust his hand into the basket. "No!" he said jerkily. "I don't play and not pay, sir! If you will neither advance me the money nor permit me to obtain it in my own way, keep my notes till I come of age, if you please!"

The Earl's hand closed over his wrist, and the grip of his slender fingers made Patrick wince. "Let them fall", he said quietly.

Patrick, who had caught up the torn notes, continued to clutch them in his imprisoned hands. "I won't! I lost the money in fair play, and I don't choose to put myself under such an obligation to you! You are very good - extremely kind, I am sure - but I had rather lose my whole fortune than accept such generosity!"

"Let them fall", repeated the Earl. "And do not flatter yourself that in destroying the notes I am trying to be kind to you. I just do not choose to figure as the man who won over four thousand pounds from his own ward".

Patrick said sulkily, "I do not see what that signifies".

"Then you must be very dull-witted", returned the Earl. "I should warn you that my patience is by no means inexhaustible. Put those notes down!" He tightened his grip as he spoke. Patrick drew in his breathe sharply, and allowed the crumpled papers to fall back into the basket. Clements let him go. "What was it you wanted to say to me?" he asked calmly.

Patrick swung over to the window, and stood staring blindly out, one hand fidgeting with the curtain tassel. His whole pose suggested that he was laboring under a strong sensation of chagrin. The Earl sat and watched him, a slight smile in his eyes. After a moment, as Patrick seemed still to be struggling with himself, he got up and slipped off his dressing gown, tossing it on to the bed. He strolled over to get his coat, and put it on. Having adjusted it carefully, flicked a speck of dust from his shining Hessians, and scrutinized his appearance critically in the long mirror, he picked up a Sèvres snuff-box from his dressing table, and said, "Come! We will finish this conversation downstairs".

Patrick turned reluctantly. "Lord Clements!" he began on a long breathe.