‘No nonsense of my seeking.’
‘But you cannot mean to meet Martin, surely!’
Ulverston shrugged. ‘I told him I could not, but when he chose to slap my face what would you have expected me to do?’
‘I can think of several things you might do. They would all of them do Martin a world of good, but they don’t include calling him out.’
‘Boot’s on the other leg: he called me out. Of course I told him not to be making such a cake of himself, but when it came to his suggesting I didn’t care to face his marksmanship, it was the outside of enough!’
‘Oh, here’s a high flight!’ said Gervase, laughing. ‘My poor Lucy, you have great need to prove your mettle! I beg your pardon! But you can’t prove it against my foolish young brother, you know.’
‘Don’t be alarmed! You don’t suppose I mean to hit him, do you?’
‘No, I fear he means to hit you.’
‘I’ll take my chance of that.’
‘Make no mistake about this, Lucy!’ Gervase said quietly. ‘If Martin means to kill you, there will be no chance. He is a very fine shot.’
‘Is he?’ The Viscount looked a little startled. ‘As good as you?’
‘Much better.’
‘The devil he is! The more reason, then, for not drawing back!’
‘Lucy, if you really wish to be reassured, let me tell you that you will earn nothing but praise for withdrawing a challenge to a boy with not one tenth your experience!’
‘You’re quite out. Not my challenge at all: I had nothing to do but accept a quarrel he was determined to force on to me.’
The Earl, who had been twirling his quizzing-glass on the end of its ribbon, now raised it to one eye, and through it surveyed his friend. ‘You said Martin slapped your face!’
‘He did. I gave him a leveller; he asked me for satisfaction, which I refused to give him; he then slapped my cheek, and asked if I would now meet him. I call that his challenge, not mine!’
‘How very irregular!’ remarked the Earl, slightly amused.
‘Irregular! The whole affair is quite abominable! God knows I don’t want to quarrel with your brother – not but what it’s time someone taught him not to persecute defenceless girls with his damned attentions!’
‘Forgive me, Lucy, but what is your interest in Miss Bolderwood? I have myself called Martin to book for – unmannerly conduct towards her, but it ought, I think, to be remembered that they are old playfellows, and have not been used to stand upon ceremony with each other.’
‘Oh, yes! Boy and girl stuff! I know that!’ Ulverston said impatiently. He took a turn about the room. ‘Well! I imagine you have guessed! Nothing is to be announced until after her presentation, but you may wish me happy, Ger!’
‘With all my heart! She will make you a delightful wife, and you will have the felicity of knowing yourself to be the object of a general envy!’
The Viscount grinned, as he grasped his hand. ‘Is she not beautiful, Ger? Those speaking eyes! So much countenance!’
‘Indeed she is!’ Gervase responded warmly.
‘I can tell you, I think myself fortunate to have secured her affections before you had done so!’
‘I cannot flatter myself that she ever thought more of me than of Martin.’
‘Oh – Martin!’ the Viscount said, his grin vanishing. ‘If I thought I had cut you out, I should be sorry for it!’
‘No, you have cut Martin out.’
‘I care nothing for that. It ain’t true, either.’
‘I fancy he has been the most fav – prominent – of her suitors,’ Gervase said, correcting himself hastily.