I never knew George; I should not be likely to think of him.
Edward."
Lord Hartledon looked at the fire, absently pushing back his hair. "Yes,
let it be Edward. It will do as well as anything else."
"Good gracious, Percival, one would think you had been having babies all
your life!" she exclaimed resentfully. "'Do as well as anything else!' If
he were our tenth son, instead of our first, you could not treat it with
more indifference. I have done nothing but deliberate on the name since
he was born; and I don't believe you have once given it a thought."
Lord Hartledon turned his face upon her; and when illumined with a smile,
as now, it could be as bright as before care came to it. "I don't think
we men attach the importance to names in a general way that you do,
Maude. I shall like to have it Edward."
"Edward William Algernon--"
"No, no, no," as if the number alarmed him. "Pray don't have a string of
names: one's quite enough."
"Oh, very well," she returned, biting her lips. "William was your
father's name. Algernon is my eldest brother's: I supposed you might like
them. I thought," she added, after a pause, "we might ask Lord Kirton to
be its godfather."
"I have decided on the godfathers already. Thomas Carr will be one, and
I intend to be the other."
"Thomas Carr! A poor hard-working barrister, that not a soul knows, and
of no family or influence whatever, godfather to the future Lord
Hartledon!" uttered the offended mother.
Pages:
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427