"Why that? Has he ever interfered with you?"
"He has interfered with me best friend to some purpose."
"I fear the boot was on the other leg!"
"Well, I know something of how he interferes with Dick."
Carstares put down his glass, all attention now.
"With Dick? How?"
O'Hara seemed to regret having spoken "Oh, well-I've no sympathy with him."
"What has Tracy done to him?"
"'Tis nothing of great moment. Merely that he and that worthless brother of his seek to squeeze him dry." "Robert?"
"Andrew. I know very little of Robert."
"Andrew! But he was a child-"
"Well, he's grown up now, and as rakish a young spendthrift as ye could wish for. Dick seems to pay their debts."
"Devil take him! Why?"
"Heaven knows! I suppose Lavinia insists. We all knew that 'twas for that reason Tracy flung you both in her way."
"Nonsense! We went of our own accord. She had but returned from school."
"Exactly. And whose doing was that but Tracy's?"
Carstares opened his eyes rather wide and leant both arms on the table, crooking his fingers round the stem of his wine glass.
"Do the debts amount to much?"
"I can't tell ye that. 'Twas but by chance I found it out at all. The Belmanoirs were never moderate in their manner of living."
"Nor were any of us. Don't be so hard on them, Miles! . . . I knew, of course, that the Belmanoir estate was mortgaged, but I did not guess to what extent."
"I don't know that either, but Dick's money does not go to pay it off. 'Tis all frittered away on gambling and pretty women."
My lord's brow darkened ominously.
"Ye-s. I think I shall have a little score to settle with Tracy on that subject-some day."
Miles said nothing.
"But how does Dick manage without touching my money?"
"I do not know." O'Hara's tone implied that he cared less.
"I hope he is not in debt himself," mused Carstares, "'Tis like enough he is in some muddle. I wish I might persuade him to accept the revenue." He frowned and drummed his fingers on the table.
O'Hara exploded.
"Sure, 'twould be like you to be doing the same. Let the man alone for the Lord's sake, and don't be after worrying your head over a miserable spalpeen that did ye more harm than-"
"Miles, I cannot allow you to speak so of Dick! You do not understand."
"I understand well enough. 'Tis too Christian ye are entirely. And let us have an end of this farce of yours! I know that Dick cheated as well as you do, and I say 'tis unnatural for you to be wanting him to take your money after he's done you out of honour and all else!"