I loved him for his mother's sake. As for the Italian woman—" "Mrs. Gore! She is dead." "I know she is. But her brother Guiseppe is alive, and a scoundrel he is. The other day he came to the Hall and tried to force his way into the house. A gambler, a rogue, Durham—that's what Guiseppe is." "What is his other name?" "Tolomeo! He comes from Siena." [pg 48] "I understood Mrs. Gore—your son's wife—came from Florence." [pg 48] "So she said. She declared she was the member of a decayed Florentine family. But afterwards I learned from Guiseppe that the Tolomeo nobles are Sienese—and a bad lot they are. He is a musician, I believe—a plausible scamp. I hope he has not got hold of Bernard." "Bernard is his nephew." "I know that," snapped the old man. "All the same, the uncle is sadly in want of money, and would exercise an undue influence over Bernard." "I don't think Gore is the man to be controlled," said Durham, sagely. "You don't know. He is young after all. But you know, by the will, I have put it out of Bernard's power to assist Tolomeo. If he gives him as much as a shilling the money is lost to him and goes to Lucy." "That is rather a hard provision," said Durham, after a pause. "I do it for the boy's good," replied Gore, rising; "but I must get home now. By the way, about that lease," and the two began to talk of matters connected with the estate. Sir Simon after this refused to discuss his erring grandson, but Durham, who was friendly to Bernard, insisted on recurring to the forbidden subject. However it was just when the old man was going that he reverted to the bone of contention, "I wish you would let me tell Bernard that you are well disposed toward him." [pg 49] "Ah! you plead for the scamp," said Sir Simon, angrily. [pg 49] "Well, I was at Eton with him, you know, and we are great friends. If he is an Imperial Yeoman there will be no difficulty in seeing him."
Prev.
Back
Top