"Who are you?" demanded the Duchess; "oh, gracious me, what a pretty child!"
Surely no cherub—especially one in such knowing top-boots—could be reasonably expected to put up with this! Master Milo's innocent brow clouded suddenly, and the expression of his glittering buttons grew positively murderous.
"I'm Viscount Devenham's con-fee-dential groom, mam, I am!" said he coldly, and with his most superb air.
"Groom?" said the Duchess, staring, "what a very small one, to be sure!"
"It ain't inches as counts wiv 'osses, mam,—or hany-think else, mam, —it's nerves as counts, it is."
"Why, yes, you seem to have plenty of nerve!"
"Well, mam, there ain't much as I trembles at, there ain't,—and when I do, I don't show it, I don't."
"And such a pretty child, too!" sighed the Duchess.
"Child, mam? I ain't no child, I'm a groom, I am. Child yourself, mam!"
"Lud! I do believe he's even paying me compliments! How old are you, boy?"
"A lot more 'n you think, and hoceans more 'n I look, mam."
"And what's your name?"
"Milo, mam,—Milo o' Crotona, but my pals generally calls me Tony, for short, they do."
"Milo of Crotona!" repeated the Duchess, with her eyes wider than ever, "but he was a giant who slew an ox with his fist, and ate it whole!"
"Why, mam, I'm oncommon fond of oxes,—roasted, I am."
"Well," said the Duchess, "you are the very smallest giant I ever saw."
"Why, you ain't werry large yourself, mam, you ain't."
"No, I fear I am rather petite," said the Duchess with a trill of girlish laughter. "And pray, Giant, what may you be doing here?"
"Come up on the coach, I did,—box seat, mam,—to take Mr. Beverley back wiv me 'cause 'is 'oss ain't safe, and—"
"Not safe,—what do you mean, boy?"
"Some coves got in and tried to nobble 'Moonraker' and 'im—"
"Nobble, boy?"
"Lame 'em, mam,—put 'em out o' the running."
"The wretches!"
"Yes'm. Ye see us sportsmen 'ave our worritting times, we do."
"But where is Mr. Beverley?"
"Why, I ain't looked, mam, I ain't,—but they're down by the brook—behind them bushes, they are."
"Oh, are they!" said the Duchess, "Hum!"
"No mam,—'e's a-coming, and so's she."
"Why, Barnabas," cried the Duchess, as Cleone and he stepped out of the shadow, "what's all this I hear about your horse,—what is the meaning of it?"
"That I must start for London to-night, Duchess."
"Leave to-night? Absurd!"
"And yet, madam, Cleone seems to think I must, and so does Viscount
Devenham,—see what he writes." So the Duchess took the Viscount's
letter and, having deciphered it with some difficulty, turned upon
Barnabas with admonishing finger upraised:
"So you 've been betting, eh? And with Sir Mortimer Carnaby and
Mr. Chichester of all people?"
"Yes, madam."
"Ah! You backed the Viscount, I suppose?"
