Lawrence combed his long lean “Dundrearys” with his slim white fingers. The joy of battle gleamed in his eyes. “I can’t imagine,” he replied--he had a broad accent and drawl, said “cawn’t” and “fawncy”--“why you should fancy I came here to insult Lord Frothingham, whose representative I have the honour to be.”
“Insult? What do you mean, Mr. Lawrence?” demanded Hooper, his voice courageous, but not his eyes.
Lawrence felt he had been right in thinking that no American would negotiate for the purchase of a title unless he were at bottom a “grovelling snob.” “There could not be a question of Lord Frothingham’s character,” he said. “And as for his family, there’s none more illustrious in England.”
“Certainly, certainly. I admitted all that. I assumed that Lord Frothingham was sending you through over-anxiety--not unnatural when he’s so far from home.”
“My business with you, Mr. Hooper,” continued Lawrence, “relates to settlements.” Hooper’s pretence--“the shallow device of a bargain-hunter”--disgusted him.
Hooper waved his hand--a broad, thick, stumpy-fingered hand. “Oh, I’ve no doubt Lord Frothingham will do the right thing by my daughter. And besides, I intend to do something for her--no one ever accused Amzi Hooper of stinginess.”
“That is gratifying,” said Lawrence. “We shall no doubt have not the slightest difficulty in reaching an understanding. What, may I ask, is the--aw--extent of the settlement you purpose to make--upon your daughter and--and Lord Frothingham.”
Hooper’s face grew red. “You may _ask_, sir, but I’ll not answer. I’m not in the habit of discussing my private affairs with _any_body.”
Lawrence was angry also--“the fellow’s taking me for a fool,” he thought. But he knew he must control himself, so he answered smoothly: “This is extraordinary--most extraordinary, Mr. Hooper. You’ve had some experience--aw--in foreign marriages----”
Hooper dropped sullenly before this poisoned shaft.
“And,” continued Lawrence, “you must know that settlements are the matter of course.”
“No, sir!” exclaimed Hooper, pounding the desk, “I know nothing of the sort. When my oldest daughter married they talked to me about settlements, but I refused to have anything to do with it.”
[Illustration: “_You may_ ASK, _sir, but I’ll not answer_”]