The Blotting Book Read Online Free Page B

was
justified, because Morris absolutely refused to look at the books. Of
course I know the young fellow well: it argues no perspicuity on my part
to have foreseen that. And, I am glad to say, something in my way of
putting it, some sincerity of manner I suppose, gave rise to a fresh mark
of confidence in us on his part."
    Mr. Taynton cleared his throat; his quietness and complete absence of
hurry was so to speak, rapidly overhauling the quick, nimble mind of
the other.
    "He asked me in fact to continue being steward of his affairs in any
event. Should he marry to-morrow I feel no doubt that he would not spend
a couple of minutes over his financial affairs, unless,
unless
, as you
foresaw might happen, he had need of a large lump sum. In that case, my
dear Mills, you and I would—would find it impossible to live elsewhere
than in the Argentine Republic, were we so fortunate as to get there.
But, as far as this goes I only say that the step of mine which you felt
to be dangerous has turned out most auspiciously. He begged me, in fact,
to continue even after he came of age, acting for him at my present rate
of remuneration."
    Mr. Mills was listening to this with some attention. Here he
laughed dryly.
    "That is capital, then," he said. "You were right and I was wrong. God,
Taynton, it's your manner you know, there's something of the country
parson about you that is wonderfully convincing. You seem sincere without
being sanctimonious. Why, if I was to ask young Assheton to look into his
affairs for himself, he would instantly think there was something wrong,
and that I was trying bluff. But when you do the same thing, that simple
and perfectly correct explanation never occurs to him."
    "No, dear Morris trusts me very completely," said Taynton. "But, then,
if I may continue my little review of the situation, as it now stands,
you and your talk with Sir Richard have vastly decreased the danger of
his marrying. For, to be frank, I should not feel at all secure if that
happened. Miss Templeton is an heiress herself, and Morris might easily
take it into his head to spend ten or fifteen thousand pounds in building
a house or buying an estate, and though I think I have guarded against
his requiring an account of our stewardship, I can't prevent his wishing
to draw a large sum of money. But your brilliant manoeuvre may, we hope,
effectually put a stop to the danger of his marrying Miss Templeton,
and since I am convinced he is in love with her, why"—Mr. Taynton put
his plump finger-tips together and raised his kind eyes to the
ceiling—"why, the chance of his wanting to marry anybody else is
postponed anyhow, till, till he has got over this unfortunate attachment.
In fact, my dear fellow, there is no longer anything immediate to fear,
and I feel sure that before many weeks are up, the misfortunes and ill
luck which for the last two years have dogged us with such incredible
persistency will be repaired."
    Mills said nothing for the moment but splashed himself out a liberal
allowance of brandy into his glass, and mixed it with a somewhat more
carefully measured ration of soda. He was essentially a sober man, but
that was partly due to the fact that his head was as impervious to
alcohol as teak is to water, and it was his habit to indulge in two, and
those rather stiff, brandies and sodas of an evening. He found that they
assisted and clarified thought.
    "I wish to heaven you hadn't found it necessary to let young Assheton
know that his £30,000 had increased to £40,000," he said. "That's £10,000
more to get back."
    "Ah, it was just that which gave him, so he thought, such good cause for
reposing complete confidence in me," remarked Mr. Taynton. "But as you
say, it is £10,000 more to get back, and I should not have told him, were
not certain ledgers of earlier years so extremely, extremely unmistakable
on the subject."
    "But if he is not going to look at ledgers at all—" began Mills.
    "Ah, the concealment of that sort of thing is