CHAPTER XV
Parliament sat late this year, and, owing to the impious and almost profane attacks that were being made on the House of Lords by the infamous Liberal party, Edgar had felt that it was his duty to stand by his order and be in his place every day in the gilded chamber. Since this was an affair of duty, it followed that Lucia's arguments on the other side of the question were powerless to move him.
"I really think it is rather hard on me," she said. "I missed three-quarters of the season in order to carry out successfully my duty in giving you a son and heir, and as soon as my duties are over, it seems that I have to sit and hold your hand while you do yours. Can't you, can't you pair with one of these newly-elected peers, whom nobody ever heard of? I'm sure you could find out the name of one of them, if you made inquiries in the proper quarters."
Edgar threw back his head with a great shout of laughter. For the last six weeks, since the birth of his son, he had been a different man. Though maternity appealed so little to the mother, paternity seemed a tremendous thing to him. "In fact, he takes the entire credit," Lucia had once remarked to Mouse. And with this great ambition gratified, his spirits had been almost boisterous.
"Ah, capital, capital!" he said. "You cut so neatly, my darling, a conversational surgeon. But pairing—no, no. One must be in one's place. Dearest, I regret the necessity; nothing would please me more than to start to-morrow, all alone with you and baby, and go on and on in the yacht for ever. You priceless one!"
This was not exactly what Lucia meant.
"I don't ask you to come on for ever," she said. "I only want you to come to Cowes. Oh, Edgar, I have been so good. And I can't entertain alone; I don't really feel up to it. I think you might come."
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