Chapter 29: Some Passages of Arms

Mr Stacey held out both hands to her in the effusive fashion which, when he chose, he could manage very well.

“My dear Miss Arnott, I think I’m unexpected.” He was; so unexpected that, in the first flush of her surprise, the girl was oblivious of his outstretched hands. He went on, ignoring her confusion. “But I trust I am not unwelcome because I happen to come unheralded.” Looking about him he noticed Mrs Sutherland. “But you are not alone. I hope that our unannounced entrance has not been an intrusion. May I ask you to make me known to your”--something caused him not to use the word which was already on the tip of his tongue--”to this lady.”

“This is Mrs Darcy Sutherland.”

“Mrs Darcy Sutherland?” In spite of his mellifluous tones there was something in the way in which he repeated the name which hardly suggested a compliment. “And what might Mrs Darcy Sutherland want with you?”

Mrs Sutherland took it upon herself to answer.

“Well, I never! the impudence of that! Who are you, pray? and what business is it of yours?”

The lawyer was blandness itself.

“I beg your pardon. Were you speaking to me?”

“Yes, I was speaking to you, and you know I was.” She turned to Miss Arnott. “I think, my dear, it would be better if you were to ask these two gentlemen to leave us alone together till you and I have finished our little business.”

“Business?” At the sound of the word Mr Stacey pricked up his ears. He addressed Miss Arnott. “As in all matters of business I have the honour to represent you, don’t you think that, perhaps, you had better leave me to deal with this--lady in a matter of business?”

The lady referred to resented the suggestion hotly.

“What next, I wonder? You’ll do nothing of the kind, my dear, not if I know it you won’t. And as I’m in rather a hurry, perhaps you’ll go and do what you said you would.”

Mr Stacey put to Miss Arnott a question.

“What was it you said that you would do for this lady?”

Again the lady showed signs of heat.

“I never saw the equal of you for meddling. Don’t you go poking your nose into other people’s affairs, or you’ll be sorry. If you take my advice, my dear, you won’t tell him a single thing. I sha’n’t, if you won’t, you may trust me for that. You’ll keep your own business to yourself, especially when it’s business of such a very particular kind--interfering old party!”

“If you take my advice, Miss Arnott, and I think you have reason to know that in general my advice is to be trusted, you will tell me in the fewest, and also in the plainest, possible words what this person wants with you. It is evidently something of which she is ashamed, or she would not be so anxious for concealment.”

“Don’t you call me a person, because I won’t have it; and don’t you interfere in what’s my business, because I won’t have that either.” The indignant Mrs Darcy Sutherland rose to her feet. “Now, look here, and don’t let there be any mistake about it, I’m not going to have this impudent old man humbugging about with me, so don’t let anyone think it. So you’ll please to understand, Miss Arnott, that if you’re going to get what you promised to get, you’d better be quick about it, because I’ve had about as much as I care to put up with. I’m not going to let any man trample on me, I don’t care who he is, especially when I don’t know him from Adam.”