Light O The Morning | Page 4

L.T. Meade
Do be reasonable. Whenever I speak of money
you fight shy of the subject."
"I don't--I don't," said the Squire restlessly; "but I am dead tired. I have
had a ride of thirty miles; I want my tea. Where is Nora? Do you mind
my calling her? She'll order Pegeen to bring the tea here."
"No; I won't have it. We'll have tea in the dining room presently. I
thought you objected to afternoon tea."
"So I do, as a rule; but I am mighty dhry--thirsty, I mean, Ellen. Well,
all the better; I'll get more to drink in the dining room. Order the tea as
soon as you please."

"Ring the bell, Patrick."
The Squire strode to the mantelpiece, pulled a bell-cord which hung
from the ceiling, a distant bell was heard ringing in noisy fashion, and a
moment afterward Pegeen put in her head.
"Come right in, Margaret," said her mistress.
"Aw! then, I'm sorry, ma'am, I forgot," said the girl. She came in,
hiding both her hands under her apron.
Mrs. O'Shanaghgan uttered an impatient sigh.
"It is impossible to train these creatures," she said under her breath.
Aloud, she gave her order in quiet, impassive tones:
"Tea as soon as possible in the west parlor, and sound the gong when it
is ready."
"Why, then, wasn't I getting it?" said Pegeen. She left the room, leaving
the door wide open.
"Just like them," said Mrs. O'Shanaghgan. "When you want the door
open they invariably shut it, and when you want it shut they leave it
open."
"They do that in England too, as far as I can tell," said the Squire, with
a slightly nettled tone in his voice.
"Well, now, Patrick, while we have a few moments to ourselves, I want
to know what you mean to do about that ten thousand pounds?"
"I am sure, Ellen, it is more than I can tell you."
"You will have to pay it, you know."
"I suppose so, some day. I'll speak to Dan to-night. He is the last man
to be hard on a chap."
"Some more of the land must go," said the wife in a fretful tone. "Our
rent-roll will be still smaller. There will be still less money to educate
Terence. I had set my heart on his going to Cambridge or Oxford. You
quite forget that he is eighteen now."
"Cambridge or Oxford!" said the Squire. "Not a bit of it. My son shall
either go to Old Trinity or he does without a university education.
Cambridge or Oxford indeed! You forget, Ellen, that the lad is my son
as well as yours."
"I don't; but he is half an Englishman, three parts an Englishman,
whatever his fatherhood," said the Squire's wife in a tone of triumph.
"Well, well! he is Terence O'Shanaghgan, for all that, and he will
inherit this old place some day."

"Much there will be for him to inherit."
Eager steps were heard on the gravel, and the next instant Nora entered
by the open window.
"I have given the order," she said; "Angus will have the trap round in a
quarter of an hour."
"That's right, my girl; you didn't let time drag," said her father.
"Angus wants you and mother to be quite ready, for he says Black Bess
is nearly off her head with spirit. Now, then, mother, shall I go upstairs
and bring down your things?"
"I don't mind if you do, Nora; my back aches a good bit."
"We'll put the air-cushion in the trap," said the Squire, who,
notwithstanding her fine-lady airs, had a great respect and admiration
for his wife. "We'll make you right cozy, Ellen, and a rattle through the
air will do you a sight of good."
"May I drive, father?" said Nora.
"You, little one? Suppose you bring Black Bess down on her knees?
That horse is worth three hundred pounds, if she's worth a penny."
"Do you think I would?" said the girl reproachfully. "Now, dad, that is
about the cruelest word you have said to your Nora for many a day."
"Come and give me a hug, colleen," said the Squire.
Nora ran to him, clasped her arms round his neck, and kissed him once
or twice. He had moved away to the other end of the room, and now he
looked her full in the face.
"You are fretting about something?"
"Not I--not I," said the girl; but she flushed.
"Listen to me, colleen," said the Squire; "if it is that bit of a mortgage,
you get it right out of your head. It's not going to worry me. I am going
this very evening to have a talk with Dan."
"Oh, if it is Dan Murphy you owe it to," said the girl.
"Ah, he's all
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