there’s trading done. You’ll be wanting to know how I made my blunt – for I didn’t come into the world hosed and shod!’
Feeling slightly stunned, Adam was about to disclaim any such desire when his instinct warned him that his overpowering visitor would take this in bad part. He tried, therefore, to look as if he were interested. Mr Chawleigh smiled indulgently, and said: ‘I’ll wager you wouldn’t be much the wiser if I was to tell you, my lord, and that’s as it should be: each to his own last! You might say I was an India merchant, which is how I began in trade. I’m that, sure enough, but I’m some other things besides: in fact, I’ve got a finger in pretty well every pie that was worth the baking.’
‘Forgive me,’ said Adam, ‘but why do you tell me this?’
‘It might be,’ said Mr Chawleigh, watching him, ‘that I’d be willing to stick a finger in your pie, my lord.’
‘So I collect,’ said Adam. ‘But if Lord Oversley has informed you that my pie is worth the baking I think I should tell you that he has misled you.’
‘That’s as may be. But I’ll tell you to your head, my lord, that the tip of my little finger in your pie would be enough to save your groats. Suppose I was to thrust my whole hand in?’
‘You’d find yourself with a bad investment, Mr Chawleigh. I don’t know what Lord Oversley may have told you, but since I’ve no more liking for Dutch bargains than you have I’ll make it plain to you at once that my affairs are quite out of frame. I imagine you don’t invest your money without seeing at least the chance of a handsome return. I can’t offer you that. If, as I suspect, you think of taking up a mortgage –’
‘I’ve got no interest in mortgages,’ interrupted Mr Chawleigh. ‘Not but what I’d buy up those you’ve got already, and never ask a penny of you – if we reached an agreement! Nor I don’t want to buy that place of yours neither. It’s not money I’m looking for, my lord. It’s something different I want, and you may take it I’m ready to pay down my dust to get it if I find the right article, which it may be I have done. Setting aside what his lordship says of you, I like the cut of your jib, my lord – no offence meant or taken, I hope!’
‘None at all,’ responded Adam, as much amused as bewildered. ‘I am much obliged to you! But what is it that you do want of me?’
Mr Chawleigh sat champing his jaws for several moments, as though uncertain how to proceed. Finally, he scratched his head, and ejaculated: ‘Damme if anyone ever had to urge me to come to the point before in a matter of business! I’m a plain man, my lord, and how to wrap things up in clean linen I don’t know, nor don’t want to. The fact is, it ’ud have come better from his lordship. However, you’ve put the question to me downright, and I’ll give you a square answer: It’s your name I want, my lord.’
‘My name ?’
‘Properly speaking,’ amended Mr Chawleigh, ‘your title. Though an Earl was what I had in mind, supposing I couldn’t get a Marquis. A Duke I don’t hope for, and never did: you won’t find Jonathan Chawleigh casting beyond the moon! Dukes are above my touch, and no need to tell me so!’
‘My dear sir, what are you talking about?’ demanded Adam, in the liveliest astonishment. ‘I can’t give you my title!’
‘Damme, I’m not such a nodcock that I don’t know that!’ said Mr Chawleigh, with asperity. ‘It ain’t for myself I want it! It’s for my daughter!’
‘Your daughter!’
Mr Chawleigh raised an enormous hand in a quelling gesture. ‘Easy, now! Don’t you go stiffening up till you’ve heard what I’ve got to say!’
‘Are you acquainted with Wimmering – with my man of business?’ demanded Adam.
‘I’m not, but I’ll be happy to meet him – supposing we should come to an understanding. Not that I wouldn’t act as fair by you without any lawyer to oversee the bargain, but I don’t
Feeling slightly stunned, Adam was about to disclaim any such desire when his instinct warned him that his overpowering visitor would take this in bad part. He tried, therefore, to look as if he were interested. Mr Chawleigh smiled indulgently, and said: ‘I’ll wager you wouldn’t be much the wiser if I was to tell you, my lord, and that’s as it should be: each to his own last! You might say I was an India merchant, which is how I began in trade. I’m that, sure enough, but I’m some other things besides: in fact, I’ve got a finger in pretty well every pie that was worth the baking.’
‘Forgive me,’ said Adam, ‘but why do you tell me this?’
‘It might be,’ said Mr Chawleigh, watching him, ‘that I’d be willing to stick a finger in your pie, my lord.’
‘So I collect,’ said Adam. ‘But if Lord Oversley has informed you that my pie is worth the baking I think I should tell you that he has misled you.’
‘That’s as may be. But I’ll tell you to your head, my lord, that the tip of my little finger in your pie would be enough to save your groats. Suppose I was to thrust my whole hand in?’
‘You’d find yourself with a bad investment, Mr Chawleigh. I don’t know what Lord Oversley may have told you, but since I’ve no more liking for Dutch bargains than you have I’ll make it plain to you at once that my affairs are quite out of frame. I imagine you don’t invest your money without seeing at least the chance of a handsome return. I can’t offer you that. If, as I suspect, you think of taking up a mortgage –’
‘I’ve got no interest in mortgages,’ interrupted Mr Chawleigh. ‘Not but what I’d buy up those you’ve got already, and never ask a penny of you – if we reached an agreement! Nor I don’t want to buy that place of yours neither. It’s not money I’m looking for, my lord. It’s something different I want, and you may take it I’m ready to pay down my dust to get it if I find the right article, which it may be I have done. Setting aside what his lordship says of you, I like the cut of your jib, my lord – no offence meant or taken, I hope!’
‘None at all,’ responded Adam, as much amused as bewildered. ‘I am much obliged to you! But what is it that you do want of me?’
Mr Chawleigh sat champing his jaws for several moments, as though uncertain how to proceed. Finally, he scratched his head, and ejaculated: ‘Damme if anyone ever had to urge me to come to the point before in a matter of business! I’m a plain man, my lord, and how to wrap things up in clean linen I don’t know, nor don’t want to. The fact is, it ’ud have come better from his lordship. However, you’ve put the question to me downright, and I’ll give you a square answer: It’s your name I want, my lord.’
‘My name ?’
‘Properly speaking,’ amended Mr Chawleigh, ‘your title. Though an Earl was what I had in mind, supposing I couldn’t get a Marquis. A Duke I don’t hope for, and never did: you won’t find Jonathan Chawleigh casting beyond the moon! Dukes are above my touch, and no need to tell me so!’
‘My dear sir, what are you talking about?’ demanded Adam, in the liveliest astonishment. ‘I can’t give you my title!’
‘Damme, I’m not such a nodcock that I don’t know that!’ said Mr Chawleigh, with asperity. ‘It ain’t for myself I want it! It’s for my daughter!’
‘Your daughter!’
Mr Chawleigh raised an enormous hand in a quelling gesture. ‘Easy, now! Don’t you go stiffening up till you’ve heard what I’ve got to say!’
‘Are you acquainted with Wimmering – with my man of business?’ demanded Adam.
‘I’m not, but I’ll be happy to meet him – supposing we should come to an understanding. Not that I wouldn’t act as fair by you without any lawyer to oversee the bargain, but I don’t
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