Piccadilly Jim | Page 8

the recollection "it was just a josh from
start to finish. The young hound made a joke of the poems and what
Ann had told him about her inspirations and quoted bits of the poems
just to kid the life out of them. . . . I thought Ann would never get over
it. Well, it doesn't worry her any more--she's grown out of the
school-girl stage--but you can bet she isn't going to get up and give
three cheers and a tiger if you bring young Crocker to live in the same
house."
"Utterly ridiculous!" said Mrs. Pett. "I certainly do not intend to alter
my plans because of a trivial incident that happened years ago. We will
sail on Wednesday."
"Very well, my dear," said Mr. Pett resignedly.
"Just as you say. Er--just you and I?"
"And Ogden, of course."
Mr. Pett controlled a facial spasm with a powerful effort of the will. He
had feared this.
"I wouldn't dream of leaving him here while I went away, after what

happened when poor dear Elmer sent him to school in England that
time." The late Mr. Ford had spent most of his married life either
quarrelling with or separated from his wife, but since death he had been
canonised as 'poor dear Elmer.' "Besides, the sea voyage will do the
poor darling good. He has not been looking at all well lately."
"If Ogden's coming, I'd like to take Ann."
"Why?"
"She can--" he sought for a euphemism.
"Keep in order" was the expression he wished to avoid. To his mind
Ann was the only known antidote for Ogden, but he felt it would be
impolitic to say so."--look after him on the boat," he concluded. "You
know you are a bad sailor."
"Very well. Bring Ann--Oh, Peter, that reminds me of what I wanted to
say to you, which this dreadful thing in the paper drove completely out
of my mind. Lord Wisbeach has asked Ann to marry him!"
Mr. Pett looked a little hurt. "She didn't tell me." Ann usually confided
in him.
"She didn't tell me, either. Lord Wisbeach told me. He said Ann had
promised to think it over, and give him his answer later. Meanwhile, he
had come to me to assure himself that I approved. I thought that so
charming of him."
Mr. Pett was frowning.
"She hasn't accepted him?"
"Not definitely."
"I hope she doesn't."
"Don't be foolish, Peter. It would be an excellent match."

Mr. Pett shuffled his feet.
"I don't like him. There's something too darned smooth about that
fellow."
"If you mean that his manners are perfect, I agree with you. I shall do
all in my power to induce Ann to accept him."
"I shouldn't," said Mr. Pett, with more decision than was his wont.
"You know what Ann is if you try to force her to do anything. She gets
her ears back and won't budge. Her father is just the same. When we
were boys together, sometimes--"
"Don't be absurd, Peter. As if I should dream of trying to force Ann to
do anything."
"We don't know anything of this fellow. Two weeks ago we didn't
know he was on the earth."
"What do we need to know beyond his name?"
Mr. Pett said nothing, but he was not convinced. The Lord Wisbeach
under discussion was a pleasant-spoken and presentable young man
who had called at Mr. Pett's office a short while before to consult him
about investing some money. He had brought a letter of introduction
from Hammond Chester, Ann's father, whom he had met in Canada,
where the latter was at present engaged in the comparatively mild
occupation of bass-fishing. With their business talk the acquaintance
would have begun and finished, if Mr. Pett had been able to please
himself, for he had not taken a fancy to Lord Wisbeach. But he was an
American, with an American's sense of hospitality, and, the young man
being a friend of Hammond Chester, he had felt bound to invite him to
Riverside Drive--with misgivings which were now, he felt, completely
justified.
"Ann ought to marry," said Mrs. Pett. "She gets her own way too much
now. However, it is entirely her own affair, and there is nothing that we
can do." She rose. "I only hope she will be sensible."

She went out, leaving Mr. Pett gloomier than she had found him. He
hated the idea of Ann marrying Lord Wisbeach, who, even if he had
had no faults at all, would be objectionable in that he would probably
take her to live three thousand miles away in his own country. The
thought of losing Ann oppressed Mr. Pett sorely.
Ann, meanwhile, had made her way down the passage to the
gymnasium which Mr. Pett, in the interests