Page:Doctor Thorne.djvu/98

94 'Oh dear, no; of course not,' said Frank; and a bystander might have thought that there was a touch of satire in his tone.

'No, not equal to that of a peer; but still of very paramount importance. Of course my first ambition is bound up in Porlock.'

'Of course,' said Frank, thinking how very weak was the staff on which his aunt's ambition rested; for Lord Porlock's youthful career had not been such as to give unmitigated satisfaction to his parents.

'Is bound up in Porlock:' and then the countess plumed herself; but the mother sighed. 'And next to Porlock, Frank, my anxiety is about you.'

'Upon my honour, aunt, I am very much obliged. I shall be all right, you'll see.'

'Greshamsbury, my dear boy, is not now what it used to be.'

'Isn't it?' asked Frank.

'No, Frank; by no means. I do not wish to say a word to you against your father. It may, perhaps, have been his misfortune, rather than his fault—'

'She is always down on the governor; always,' said Frank to himself; resolving to stick bravely to the side of the house to which he had elected to belong.

'But there is the fact, Frank, too plain to us all; Greshamsbury is not what it was. It is your duty to restore to it its former importance.'

'My duty!' said Frank, rather puzzled.

'Yes, Frank, your duty. It all depends on you now. Of course you know that your father owes a great deal of money.'

Frank muttered something. Tidings had in some shape reached his ears that his father was not comfortably circumstanced as regarded money.

'And then, he has sold Boxall Hill. It cannot be expected that Boxall Hill shall be repurchased, as some horrid man, a railway maker, I believe—'

'Yes; that's Scatcherd.'

'Well, he has built a house there I'm told; so I presume that it cannot be bought back: but it will be your duty, Frank, to pay all the debts that there are on the property, and to purchase what, at any rate, will be equal to Boxall Hill.'

Frank opened his eyes wide and stared at his aunt, as though doubting much whether or no she were in her right mind. He pay off the family debts! He buy up property of four thousand pounds a year! He remained, however, quite quiet, waiting the elucidation of the mystery.

'Frank, of course you understand me.'