The Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer Read Free Book Online

tightening. “Oh? So you must insist, must you? Go on!”
    “Well, I must say that I think you owe me—well, that an explanation is due to me!” amended Matthew sulkily.
    “If you think you’ll get an explanation out of me, other than what I choose to tell you, muffin-face, you’re a bigger clunch than I knew! What I choose to tell you I have told you, and it’s all that concerns you!”
    “No, sir!” said Matthew resolutely. “That don’t fit! You don’t like me; you didn’t wish for me to step into your shoes; but when—after what happened in June—I was your heir: no question about it!”
    “You were not.”
    “No! As it now appears, and if this fellow who has sprang out of nowhere is not an impostor! And that, sir, is something even you will own I’ve a right to ask!”
    “He is not an impostor.”
    “I beg your pardon, but what proof have you of that? For my part I think it damned smoky, Father! If the fellow is my brother’s son, I should like to know why he never approached you before! Upon my word, a very neat thing this is! If he had had the impudence to put forward his so-called claim to me, I’d have set Lissett to enquire into his credentials, and you may depend upon it we should soon have found that it was nothing more than an attempt to run a rig! Well, I’ve seen Lissett, and he tells me you didn’t desire him to do any such thing, but merely to write a letter informing the rascal you would receive him here. Now, Father—” “Damn you, when I want your advice I’ll ask you for it!” broke in his lordship roughly. “I’m not in my dotage yet! I’ve known for twenty-seven years that this cocktail existed!” “Good God!” gasped Matthew. “Known for—And never told us?”
    “Why should I have told you?” demanded his father. “D’ye think I was proud of a weaver’s spawn? D’ye think I ever imagined I should be succeeded by a whelp I thought never to set eyes on? As for approaching me—laying claims—you’re fair and far off! He never did so! He’s coming here because I’ve sent for him—and he’s taken his time about coming!” he added grimly. “If you’ve seen Lissett, no doubt he told you that the fellow’s a soldier. I’ve known that these five years and more.”
    “Do you mean to say you’ve followed his career?” asked Matthew incredulously. “No, I don’t! I never gave the whelp a thought. Old Barnwood ran against him when he was out in the Peninsula, and had the curst brass to come up to me in Brook’s, and ask me if I knew I’d a grandson in the 95th. I damned his eyes for it, meddling busy-body!” Matthew said slowly: “So when my brother was drowned you knew! And yet you—For God’s sake, sir, why didn’t you tell me then? Why—”
    “Because I hoped he might be dead, chucklehead, or that there might be some way of keeping him out of my shoes!” replied Lord Darracott, his face working. “Well, he’s not dead, and there’s no way of keeping him out! When I’m booked, he’ll be the head of the family, but I’m not booked yet, and, by God, I’ll see to it he’s been licked into shape before I get notice to quit!”
     
    Chapter 3
    Vincent was the first of Matthew’s two sons to reach Darracott Place, driving himself in a curricle to which were harnessed three magnificent black geldings, randem-tandem; and by the time that Richmond, who had been on the watch for him, let out a halloo, and exclaimed: “Here’s my cousin at last! Oh, he’s driving unicorn! He’s the most complete hand!” even Mrs. Darracott, with whom Vincent was no favourite, felt a certain measure of relief. In her view, Vincent was a dangerous blade, with a viperous tongue, and a deplorable influence over her impressionable young son; but after spending three hours in an atmosphere of deepening gloom, she would have been much inclined to have welcomed the arrival of Beelzebub himself. My lord having shut himself up in the library, it had fallen to her lot