Envious Casca by Georgette Heyer Read Free Book Online Page B

dreadful old vandal," he told Valerie. "I'm afraid period-stuff makes very little appeal to me. You'll say I'm a simpleminded old fellow, I expect, but I'm not a bit ashamed of it, not a bit! I like things to be cheerful and comfortable, and it doesn't matter a bit to me whether a staircase was built in Cromwell's time or Victoria's."
    "I suppose the whole house is pretty old, isn't it?" said Valerie, looking with faint interest at the staircase.
    "Yes, quite a show-piece in its way," replied Joseph, mounting the four shallow stairs which led to the first half-landing, and trying to erect the steps on it. "Now, this is going to be tricky. I thought if I could reach that chandelier we could hang the bell from it."
    "Mr. Herriard must be awfully rich, I should think," said Valerie, pursuing her own train of thought.
    "Awfully!" said Joseph, twinkling down at her.
    "I wonder -" She broke off, colouring a little.
    Joseph was silent for a moment; then he said: "Well, my dear, perhaps I know what you wonder; and though one doesn't like to talk of such things, I have been meaning all day to have a little chat with you."
    She turned enquiring eyes upon him. "Oh, do! I mean, you can say absolutely anything to me: I shall quite understand."
    He came down the stairs again, abandoning the steps, and took her arm. "Well, I expect you've guessed that I have a very soft corner for old Stephen."
    "I know, and I think it's marvellous of you!" said Valerie.
    As Stephen's treatment of his uncle was cavalier to the point of brutality, this remark was less fatuous than it sounded.
    "Ah, I understand Stephen!" Joseph said, changing under her eyes from the skittish uncle into a worldly-wise observer of life. "To know all is to forgive all."
    "I always think that's frightfully true," said Valerie, adding after a moment's reflection: "But has Stephen - I mean, is there anything - ?"
    "No, no!" Joseph replied rather hastily. "But life hasn't been easy for him, poor old chap! Well! life hasn't been easy for me either, and perhaps that helps me to understand him."
    He smiled in a whimsical way, but as Valerie was not at all interested in the difficulties of his life, she did not realise that he had stopped being wordly-wise, and was now a Gallant and Pathetic figure. She said vaguely: "Oh yes, I suppose so!"
    Joseph was finding her a little difficult. A less selfcentred young woman would have responded to this gambit, he felt, and would have asked him sympathetic questions. With a sigh, he accepted her disinterest, and said, resuming his role of kindly uncle: "But that's quite enough about me! My life is nearing its close, after all. But Stephen has his all before him. Ah, when I look back to what I was at Stephen's age, I can see so many points of similarity between us! I was ever a rebel, too. I expect you find that hard to believe of such a respectable old fogy, eh?"
    "Oh no!" said Valerie.
    "Eheu fugaces!" sighed Joseph. "When I look back, do you know, I can't find it in me to regret those carefree years?"
    "Oh?" said Valerie.
    "No," said Joseph, damped. "But why should I bore a pretty young thing like you with tales of my misspent youth? It was about Stephen I wanted to speak to you."
    "He's been utterly foul all day," responded his betrothed with great frankness. "It makes it absolutely lousy for me, too, only he's so damned selfish I don't suppose he even thinks of that. As a matter of fact, I've got a complete hate against him at the moment."
    "But you love him!" said Joseph, taken aback.
    "Yes; but you know what I mean."
    "Perhaps I do," said Joseph, with a wise nod. "And I'm relying on you to bring your influence to bear on the dear old fellow."
    "What?" asked Valerie, turning her large eyes upon him in astonishment.
    He pressed her arm slightly. "Ah, you're not going to tell me that you haven't got any! No, no, that won't do!"
    "But what on earth do you expect me to do?" she demanded.
    "Don't let him annoy his uncle," he said. "Try to get him