“Never say,” Julia said, “that you are going to let me have the last word, Daniel. How very disappointing you aresometimes.”
“Perhaps you had better hope, Julia,” he said, “that you only ever see me when I am sober and dull. Perhaps youwould not wish to see me any other way.”
If he had expected to silence her, he was to be disappointed. She looked up at him with widened eyes and smiled in that special way she had of smiling, everything inher that was mischievous and impish lighting up her face.“Oh, Daniel,” she said, “that sounds so very interesting. Forperhaps the first time in our lives you have piqued my curiosity.”
And she slipped her hand from his arm and went tripping off across the grass to join Stella and Viola, who were withFreddie and Les. The earl drew one more steadying breath.He had to admit that she did light up a day. Not at all in the way one might want it to be lit up, perhaps, but she did it nonetheless.
Would life be dull with Blanche? But he put the thought from him before it could take root and bring him doubtsthat he had no wish to entertain.
9
Frederick had had rather a nasty shock. Though perhapsjoltwould be a more appropriate word, hethought, since it was a fairly minor happening. But it mightbe symptomatic of things to come, and then life would become uncomfortable.
He had had a note and a bill from one of his creditors. A fairly insignificant one—a bootmaker to whom he owed thetrifling sum of a few hundred pounds. But if one had discovered his whereabouts, the chances were good that wordwould spread fast, and then there might be a flood of suchnotes.
There was nothing new in it. He was quite accustomed to ignoring the bills when his pockets were to let and payingoff some of his more persistent creditors when he was infunds. Sometimes after all he had a streak of good luck justas sometimes he had a string of losses. But it was one thingto receive and ignore bills when one lived in bachelorrooms in town and quite another to do the same thing atPrimrose Park. Someone else might get wind of them. Hisfather, heaven forbid. Or Julia.
Another frustration of being in the country, of course, was that it gave him little opportunity to bring his fortunesabout. And it was high time they came about. His losingstreak had lasted altogether too long this time. He was duefor some good luck. Of course there was the one potentiallylucrative and quite acceptable game in progress at PrimrosePark. A game it was becoming increasingly imperative thathe win.
“You have changed your mind, Les, have you?” he asked his brother as the two of them rode their horses at a walk for the last mile back to the stables after a morning ride.
“Mind?” Lesley looked blank. “About what, Freddie?”
Frederick clucked his tongue and tossed a glance at thegray sky. “About what else?” he said. “Is there any othertopic of conversation these days, Les? About Jule. Haveyou changed your mind about offering for her?”
Lesley frowned. “Offering for Jule,” he said. “The thing is, Freddie, I don't think she would have me.”
“You will not know unless you ask,” Frederick said. “And you have been dithering for a week, Les. I want to geton to the next stage of my own campaign, but I also want togive you a sporting chance.”
“I thought perhaps Gussie would be the one,” Lesley said “They’ve always liked each other, Freddie. Still do.He is with her more often than not. Always laughing, thetwo of them.”
“And that is not a promising sign at all, my lad,” Frederick said. “Not promising for Gussie, that is. It is very promising for you and me.”
Lesley looked blank again.
“If those two are lovers,” Frederick said, “I’ll eat my hat, Les. Whichever one you choose to make me bite into. No,Gussie is not in the running. Neither is Malcolm. He got together with her once at the top of the hill several days agoand spent all of five minutes with her. Then she wentwhooping down the steep side of the hill like a schoolboylet out of school for the summer holidays. He has not beennear her since to my knowledge.”
“Dan?” Lesley said.
“Dan bristles with outrage every time he sets eyes on her,” Frederick said. “And sometimes even when he does not. Someone only has to mention her name. Besides, hehas the divine Miss Morriston panting for him in town. Orprobably not panting exactly—the chit is made of ice as faris I can observe. No, Les, I think the serious contenders canhe narrowed down to you and me.”
“I like Jule,” Lesley said. “Can’t understand why Dan don’t.”
“For the very reason that we do,” Frederick said. “Jule is not ashamed to show that she is alive. When are you goingto talk with her? If you are not, then I am going to proceedto sweep her off her feet.”
“You will anyway,” Lesley said, “even if I offer for her, Freddie.”
“Yes, granted,” Frederick said with a grin. “But at least you will not be able to say that I did not give you a sportingchance, Les. But it is true that I have never yet failed tobowl over any female I set my mind to bowling over. AndJule is ripe for the picking, if you will pardon the lamentable mixing of images.”
“But you never liked her in that way before,” Lesley said, frowning. “Did you, Freddie?”
“Neither did you,” Frederick said. “But she never came with Primrose Park before, Les. Only with a dowry.Dowries, no matter how generous, come to an end. Rentsdon’t.”
“I think someone should marry Jule because she is Jule,” Lesley said after frowning in thought for a while. “Not because of Primrose Park.”
Frederick chuckled. “And so someone will, my young idealist,” he said. “You know I am fond of her. I’ll give herall the affection she needs, Les. And all the pleasure shecraves. And children too. Doubtless she will want somechildren and I suppose it would not hurt for me to have ason or two. Would it? Set up my dynasty and all that.” Helaughed again.
Lesley drew his horse to a halt outside the stables. He was still frowning. “But it is the rents that are most important to you, Freddie,” he said, “not Jule. You wouldn’tmarry her without them, would you?”
