like the Emperor Vespasian
'A pretty sight,' he said, as he neared the fire. 'My own father in conversation with the original Witch of Endor.
How does it go? " I saw Gods ascending out of the earth.
An old man cometh up and he is covered with a mantle."'
Mr Warleggan at last put the poker back. `You should not let your mother, hear you speak in that way. She has no fancy for supernatural talk even in jest.'
'I'm not sure it is in jest,' said George. 'In better, days this old twitching decayed carcase would have been helped on its way by a suitable ducking or a witch's bridle. We should not have to suffer it in a civilized household.'
The kitten, to Agatha's pleasure, had arched its back and spat at the new ar rival.
`Well, George,' she said. 'I trust you feel a bigger man now you're father of an eight-month brat. What's he to be called, eh? There's too many Georges, about, with all these kings. I mind the time . .' She coughed. `Fire's smeeching. Mr Warleggan's scat it all asunder.'
'If I were you, I should have the creature confined to her room,' Nicholas said. 'She should be guarded there.'
'If I had my way,' George said, `she would be thrown on the midden tomorrow - and perhaps others with her.'
'Well, whose way do you have?' asked Nicholas, knowing very well.
George looked at him speculatively. 'The way of a man in possession of a fair city. When the citadel has been won the stews can wait awhile.'
'You could name him Robert,' came the thin voice from the armchair. `Him with the crooked back. First of the name that we know. Or Ross. What'd you say to Ross?' The wheezing which broke out might have been caused by the smoke but more probably ; it was the result of an old frame trying to accommodate malicious laughter.
George, turned his back and strolled to the window an d looked out. Although the hall was warm near the fire, cold airs stirred as soon as one moved out of its range. 'I trust,' he said, 'that soon this old creature will swell up into a great tumour and burst.'
'Amen; But touching on names, George. I conject that you and Elizabeth will already have some thoughts on the matter. We own some good ones within the family-'
`I have already decided. I decided before he was born.'
`Before he was born? Oh, but how c ould you do that? If it were a girl '
'This accident to Elizabeth,'' said George. `It might have been fatal to them both, but now it has not been so I feel some heavy finger of providence in it – as if it were pointing a time and a place and date. Having regard to the date, as soon as I knew the child would be born on that day, I chose the name. If it were a girl, the same.'
Mr Warleggan waited.. `What is it, then?'
'Valentine.'
'Or Joshua,' said Aunt Agatha. `We've had three in the family to my knowledge, though the last was a bad boy if ever there was one.'
Nicholas hopefully watched the thin smoke from the fire curling round the old woman's chair. 'Valentine. Valentine Warleggan. It matches well, is easy on, the tongue. But there is no one in either family of that name.'
'There will be nobody in either family like my son. History does not have to repeat itself.'
'Yes, yes. I will ask your mother how it appeals to her. Is this Elizabeth's choice too?'
'Elizabeth does not know it yet.'
Nicholas raised his eyebrows. But you rare sure. she will like it?'
'I am sure she will agree. We are in accord in so many things, many more than I expected., She will agree that this union of her and me is a rare one - the oldest gentry, and the newest and that the fruit of such a union should not look to the past but to the future. 'A quite new name is what we must have.'
Nicholas coughed and moved out of range of the smoke
'You will not get away from the name Warleggan,' George.' 'I shall never have the least desire to get away from it, Father. Already it is respected and feared. ’
'As you say ... The respect is what we must build on, the fear is what we must dissipate.'
'Uncle Cary would
'A pretty sight,' he said, as he neared the fire. 'My own father in conversation with the original Witch of Endor.
How does it go? " I saw Gods ascending out of the earth.
An old man cometh up and he is covered with a mantle."'
Mr Warleggan at last put the poker back. `You should not let your mother, hear you speak in that way. She has no fancy for supernatural talk even in jest.'
'I'm not sure it is in jest,' said George. 'In better, days this old twitching decayed carcase would have been helped on its way by a suitable ducking or a witch's bridle. We should not have to suffer it in a civilized household.'
The kitten, to Agatha's pleasure, had arched its back and spat at the new ar rival.
`Well, George,' she said. 'I trust you feel a bigger man now you're father of an eight-month brat. What's he to be called, eh? There's too many Georges, about, with all these kings. I mind the time . .' She coughed. `Fire's smeeching. Mr Warleggan's scat it all asunder.'
'If I were you, I should have the creature confined to her room,' Nicholas said. 'She should be guarded there.'
'If I had my way,' George said, `she would be thrown on the midden tomorrow - and perhaps others with her.'
'Well, whose way do you have?' asked Nicholas, knowing very well.
George looked at him speculatively. 'The way of a man in possession of a fair city. When the citadel has been won the stews can wait awhile.'
'You could name him Robert,' came the thin voice from the armchair. `Him with the crooked back. First of the name that we know. Or Ross. What'd you say to Ross?' The wheezing which broke out might have been caused by the smoke but more probably ; it was the result of an old frame trying to accommodate malicious laughter.
George, turned his back and strolled to the window an d looked out. Although the hall was warm near the fire, cold airs stirred as soon as one moved out of its range. 'I trust,' he said, 'that soon this old creature will swell up into a great tumour and burst.'
'Amen; But touching on names, George. I conject that you and Elizabeth will already have some thoughts on the matter. We own some good ones within the family-'
`I have already decided. I decided before he was born.'
`Before he was born? Oh, but how c ould you do that? If it were a girl '
'This accident to Elizabeth,'' said George. `It might have been fatal to them both, but now it has not been so I feel some heavy finger of providence in it – as if it were pointing a time and a place and date. Having regard to the date, as soon as I knew the child would be born on that day, I chose the name. If it were a girl, the same.'
Mr Warleggan waited.. `What is it, then?'
'Valentine.'
'Or Joshua,' said Aunt Agatha. `We've had three in the family to my knowledge, though the last was a bad boy if ever there was one.'
Nicholas hopefully watched the thin smoke from the fire curling round the old woman's chair. 'Valentine. Valentine Warleggan. It matches well, is easy on, the tongue. But there is no one in either family of that name.'
'There will be nobody in either family like my son. History does not have to repeat itself.'
'Yes, yes. I will ask your mother how it appeals to her. Is this Elizabeth's choice too?'
'Elizabeth does not know it yet.'
Nicholas raised his eyebrows. But you rare sure. she will like it?'
'I am sure she will agree. We are in accord in so many things, many more than I expected., She will agree that this union of her and me is a rare one - the oldest gentry, and the newest and that the fruit of such a union should not look to the past but to the future. 'A quite new name is what we must have.'
Nicholas coughed and moved out of range of the smoke
'You will not get away from the name Warleggan,' George.' 'I shall never have the least desire to get away from it, Father. Already it is respected and feared. ’
'As you say ... The respect is what we must build on, the fear is what we must dissipate.'
'Uncle Cary would
Similar Books
Dark Challenge
Christine Feehan
Heroes (Hollywood Heartthrobs #1)
Kate Rivers
Love Falls
Esther Freud
The Hunter
Rose Estes
Horse Fever
Bonnie Bryant
Wrong Man, Right Kiss
Red Garnier
Franklin and the Thunderstorm
Brenda Clark
The Lawman Meets His Bride
Meagan McKinney