such a garment, but it was certainly magnificent. So was the diamond pin stuck into Mr Chawleigh’s neckcloth, and the emerald ring on his finger. He was plainly a man of substance, but he reminded Adam of nothing so much as a belligerent bull, with his great, muscular shoulders, his short, thick neck, and the habit he had of champing his jaws, as though chewing the cud of his ruminations.
‘Mr Chawleigh?’ Adam said.
‘That’s my name. Jonathan Chawleigh: no more and no less! That ain’t to say I couldn’t get a handle set to it, if I’d a mind to do it. I’d look as like as ninepence is to nothing, wouldn’t I? Nay, Jonathan Chawleigh’s good enough for me! Good enough for anyone, come to think of it,’ he added ruminatively. ‘I’ll tell you this, my lord! – you won’t find a name that’s more honoured in the City, look where you will!’ This was uttered in a voice of menacing challenge; but fortunately for Adam, who could think of nothing whatsoever to say, Mr Chawleigh continued abruptly: ‘Now, I’m one that likes to be sure of my ground! You are the Viscount of Lynton?’
Taken aback, Adam answered: ‘I’m Viscount Lynton – yes.’
‘No of ?’ said Mr Chawleigh acutely.
‘No of ,’ corroborated Adam, with admirable gravity. ‘We Viscounts, you know, are a part of what you might call the scaff and raff of the peerage! No one under the rank of an Earl may use of!’
‘That’s something his lordship didn’t tell me,’ Mr Chawleigh observed. ‘I daresay it don’t make much odds, but the fact is I did fancy an Earl. Still, a Viscount’s better than a Baron. A Baron’s no manner of use to me: you won’t budge me from that !’ He directed another of his searching looks at Adam, and chuckled: ‘Ay, you’re wondering who the devil I am, and what I want with you, ain’t you?’
Adam laughed. ‘I do wonder what you want with me, but not who you are, sir! You are Lord Oversley’s friend. Won’t you sit down?’
Mr Chawleigh allowed himself to be shepherded to a chair, but said, keeping his shrewd eyes fixed on Adam’s face: ‘Told you that, did he? I take that kindly in him. I wouldn’t make so bold myself, though I don’t deny I’ve been able to nudge his lordship on to a sure thing now and now, and I’ve always found him very affable. But I’m no tuft-hunter, prating about my grand friends, Lord This and Lord That, which don’t bamboozle any but gapeseeds. You want to remember that!’ he added, shooting out a thick finger at Adam. ‘You won’t find me setting up in Mayfair, all amongst the nobs, for I know well I’d be doing naught but making a bobbing-block of myself.’ He refreshed himself with a pinch of snuff. ‘That’s better!’ he announced, wiping his nose with a handkerchief of finest lawn. ‘Hardman’s 37: nothing to beat it!’ He looked at Adam with a twinkle in his eyes. ‘So that’s all you know about me, is it? A friend of my Lord Oversley!’ He brooded over this for a moment or two. ‘Didn’t tell you more than that, eh?’
‘No,’ Adam replied, adding, with a smile: ‘Having told me that there was no need to tell me more.’
‘H’m! Didn’t tell you what my business with you is? I thought he would – though he did say he would leave me to lay to you my own way. Damme if he’s not a knowing one! Guessed I’d want more than his testimony before I’d come up to the chalk.’ He nodded, and cast another penetrating stare at Adam. ‘If he had told you what I am he’d have told you that I’m mighty well up in the stirrups. I’m one as likes round dealing – which isn’t to say I won’t get a point the better of a man in a matter of trading, mark you! But there’s no one can say he was clerked by Jonathan Chawleigh! I run no rigs, my lord, because it ain’t my nature, and, what’s more, a good name’s worth a hundred Dutch bargains! I’ve got that all right and regular, and as for my credit, that’s good wherever
‘Mr Chawleigh?’ Adam said.
‘That’s my name. Jonathan Chawleigh: no more and no less! That ain’t to say I couldn’t get a handle set to it, if I’d a mind to do it. I’d look as like as ninepence is to nothing, wouldn’t I? Nay, Jonathan Chawleigh’s good enough for me! Good enough for anyone, come to think of it,’ he added ruminatively. ‘I’ll tell you this, my lord! – you won’t find a name that’s more honoured in the City, look where you will!’ This was uttered in a voice of menacing challenge; but fortunately for Adam, who could think of nothing whatsoever to say, Mr Chawleigh continued abruptly: ‘Now, I’m one that likes to be sure of my ground! You are the Viscount of Lynton?’
Taken aback, Adam answered: ‘I’m Viscount Lynton – yes.’
‘No of ?’ said Mr Chawleigh acutely.
‘No of ,’ corroborated Adam, with admirable gravity. ‘We Viscounts, you know, are a part of what you might call the scaff and raff of the peerage! No one under the rank of an Earl may use of!’
‘That’s something his lordship didn’t tell me,’ Mr Chawleigh observed. ‘I daresay it don’t make much odds, but the fact is I did fancy an Earl. Still, a Viscount’s better than a Baron. A Baron’s no manner of use to me: you won’t budge me from that !’ He directed another of his searching looks at Adam, and chuckled: ‘Ay, you’re wondering who the devil I am, and what I want with you, ain’t you?’
Adam laughed. ‘I do wonder what you want with me, but not who you are, sir! You are Lord Oversley’s friend. Won’t you sit down?’
Mr Chawleigh allowed himself to be shepherded to a chair, but said, keeping his shrewd eyes fixed on Adam’s face: ‘Told you that, did he? I take that kindly in him. I wouldn’t make so bold myself, though I don’t deny I’ve been able to nudge his lordship on to a sure thing now and now, and I’ve always found him very affable. But I’m no tuft-hunter, prating about my grand friends, Lord This and Lord That, which don’t bamboozle any but gapeseeds. You want to remember that!’ he added, shooting out a thick finger at Adam. ‘You won’t find me setting up in Mayfair, all amongst the nobs, for I know well I’d be doing naught but making a bobbing-block of myself.’ He refreshed himself with a pinch of snuff. ‘That’s better!’ he announced, wiping his nose with a handkerchief of finest lawn. ‘Hardman’s 37: nothing to beat it!’ He looked at Adam with a twinkle in his eyes. ‘So that’s all you know about me, is it? A friend of my Lord Oversley!’ He brooded over this for a moment or two. ‘Didn’t tell you more than that, eh?’
‘No,’ Adam replied, adding, with a smile: ‘Having told me that there was no need to tell me more.’
‘H’m! Didn’t tell you what my business with you is? I thought he would – though he did say he would leave me to lay to you my own way. Damme if he’s not a knowing one! Guessed I’d want more than his testimony before I’d come up to the chalk.’ He nodded, and cast another penetrating stare at Adam. ‘If he had told you what I am he’d have told you that I’m mighty well up in the stirrups. I’m one as likes round dealing – which isn’t to say I won’t get a point the better of a man in a matter of trading, mark you! But there’s no one can say he was clerked by Jonathan Chawleigh! I run no rigs, my lord, because it ain’t my nature, and, what’s more, a good name’s worth a hundred Dutch bargains! I’ve got that all right and regular, and as for my credit, that’s good wherever
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