Ampersand Papers Read Free Page B

written can be almost as valuable as pictures they’ve painted.’
    ‘We haven’t many of them left,’ Lord Ampersand said grimly. ‘Even the decent family portraits gone under that confounded hammer.’
    ‘Yes, Rollo, and it really is too bad. Let Ludlow give you more coffee.’
    For some minutes the Ampersands continued their breakfast in silence – and with the dread spectre of aristocratic poverty making, as it were, a third at the board.
    ‘Agatha,’ Lady Ampersand presently continued, ‘has asked somebody who really knows. It seems that a play of Shakespeare’s – say the one about Hamlet – just written out by his own hand with a quill pen and so on, would probably fetch more money than you got for all those Romneys and Hoppners put together – or even for the Gainsborough.’
    ‘Good God!’ Lord Ampersand was now visibly agitated. ‘All that stuff at the top of the North Tower, Lucy – do you think there might be a play of Shakespeare’s among it?’
    ‘I suppose there might be. But isn’t an unknown poem by Mr Shelley more probable? Agatha has been working it all out, and she says that even that would be immensely valuable.’
    ‘Impossible!’ Lord Ampersand was really shocked. ‘A poem? It isn’t decent. But good heavens!’ – a fresh thought had come to him – ‘would you say that all those damned prying fellows that wanted to come around had wind of this sort of thing?’
    ‘Yes – but of other possibilities besides this Adrian Digitt who had a circle. I’ve heard Skillet say that various Digitts have rather gone in for literature, and things of that sort, from time to time. I’m bound to say, Rollo, that nothing of the kind has ever been known in my own family.’
    ‘No, of course not, my dear.’ Lord Ampersand was thoroughly humbled. ‘But – do you know? – if there might be money around in all that I’m surprised that Skillet hasn’t been on to it. Always a smart lad, Archie, wouldn’t you say? Nose for the main chance.’
    ‘It just can’t have occurred to him.’ Lady Ampersand had her own ideas here, and they were not entirely to the credit of her son as a properly filial person. But upon this she judged it injudicious to embark. ‘I think, dear, that it should just be looked into,’ she said comfortably. ‘Perhaps the vicar could help. Or Dr Morrison, who has that modest little collection of old china. Or it might even be possible to hire somebody to investigate. For we have got a muniment room, after all.’
    ‘Hire somebody!’ The boldness of this conception astonished Lord Ampersand. ‘Young fellow from the varsity – that sort of thing? But would it be possible to get one with decent manners, eh? I could write to some fellow who runs one of those places, and ask him to turn up a stone or two and see what offered.’ This image must have gratified Lord Ampersand, who chuckled softly. ‘Yes, I could do something like that. Young fellow would get his keep, and a glimpse of how our sort live. Attractive proposition for the right man.’
    ‘I think there would have to be a fee, dear.’
    ‘A fee?’ The noble Norman brow of Lord Ampersand clouded. ‘Treat him to a spot of rough shooting, perhaps. Let him go out and fish. Mount him, if he can manage more than a donkey. Thoroughly generous arrangement.’
    ‘Yes, Rollo dear. But I shall write and consult Agatha about it.’ Lady Ampersand was quite firm. ‘Agatha will know just the right people to ask.’
    ‘As you please, my dear. Time I was walking the dogs, eh? Splendid morning.’
    And Lord Ampersand, mildly excited by the astonishing ideas that had been put in his head, embarked on his day’s common round.

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    Lord Skillet was the Ampersands’ only son, and now middle-aged: although enterprising, he had never displayed any interest in matrimony. There were also two daughters, Lady Grace and Lady Geraldine Digitt.
    Neither Grace nor Geraldine had been interested in matrimony either – or if