But
as that idea crumbled away from him, Augustus and his affairs became
more and more distasteful to him. After all, it ought to be wished that
Mountjoy should become the elder son,--even Mountjoy, the incurable
gambler. It was terrible to Mr. Grey that the old, fixed arrangement
should be unfixed, and certainly there was nothing in the character of
Augustus to reconcile him to such a change.
But he was a very unhappy man when he put himself into a cab to be
carried down to Fulham. How much better would it have been for him had
he taken his daughter's advice, and persistently refused to make this
last journey to Tretton! He would have to acknowledge to his daughter
that Mr. Scarborough had altogether got the better of him, and his
unhappiness would consist in the bitterness of that acknowledgment.
But when he reached the Manor House his daughter met him with news of
her own which for the moment kept his news in abeyance. "Oh, papa," she
said, "I am so glad you've come!" He had sent her a telegram to say that
he was coming. "Just when I got your message I was frightened out of my
life. Who do you think was here with me?"
"How am I to think, my dear?"
"Mr. Juniper."
"Who on earth is Mr. Juniper?" he asked.
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