A Battle of Brains by Barbara Cartland Page A

them are very lovely,” argued Yolanda.
    â€œBut nothing as fine as those in the country.  I took a great deal of trouble to learn much more about art than I knew before – and I had a good teacher.”
    Yolanda smiled at this reference to her mother.
    She thought it impossible not to admire a man who could work so hard – not only at making money but also on improving his own brain.
    She was just going to ask more questions about the pictures when he added,
    â€œWe are entertaining a guest this weekend and he is coming to see my Stubbs.  I also want to know a little more about his interests in America and the automatic air brakes that have been invented for trains.”
    Yolanda looked at him wide-eyed.
    â€œI am hoping that you and I will be clever enough to make him talk about it.  His name, by the way, is Lord Milborne.”
    He was about to say more when his secretary came into the room.
    â€œI am sorry to bother you, sir,” he said, “but there is a man here from the country who wishes to talk to you about the gas lighting you ordered for the servants’ quarters.  I understand there is some difficulty regarding the roof.”
    â€œI will come and speak to him.”
    He left the room.
    When he had gone, Yolanda stood where he had left her, thinking over what he had just said.
    She knew Lord Milborne.
    He was the gentleman who had been exceedingly kind to her father when they were living in Baden-Baden.
    Her father was having one of his bad periods at the gaming tables and his luck seemed to have deserted him.
    They had arrived in Baden-Baden after he had been gambling very successfully in Hamburg and they had taken rooms in the Stephanie Hotel , which was undoubtedly the best and the most famous of all the many sumptuous hotels in the town.
    Baden-Baden itself was beautiful and Yolanda, who was then only fourteen, was thrilled with the stream running through it and the gardens filled with flowers and blossom.
    She, of course, was not allowed to enter the Casino, but she was well aware how important it was in their lives.
    The first night her father had won and they were all laughing and happy the next morning.
    He took her mother and her to the races.  He won again and Yolanda spent an exciting time with her parents before she was sent to bed.
    The next morning was totally different.
    Her father had apparently had a disastrous evening at the Casino and her mother was trying to console him by saying that things would be better today.
    Unfortunately things were not better that day or the next and by the third day her father was completely broke.
    They were sitting out in the garden of the Stephanie Hotel wondering what they should do next.
    How, her father asked over and over again, could he pay for the rooms in the hotel?
    Lord Milborne then passed by and greeted them.
    He was a very good-looking man, Yolanda thought, perhaps a little older than her father.
    It seemed they knew each other well – they both belonged to White’s Club in London.
    Lord Milborne exclaimed when he saw the Earl and his family,
    â€œI was looking for you, Longwood.  I hear you had a bad day yesterday!  If you are intending to go to the races this afternoon I have a winner for you!”
    He rose and walked towards Lord Milborne.
    â€œI have a sad story to tell you,” he began.
    â€œI believe that I can guess what it is,” replied Lord Milborne.
    As he spoke, the two men turned and walked away along the side of the stream.
    As they did so, Yolanda’s mother put out her hand and laid it on her daughter’s.
    â€œI am praying,” she whispered, “that Lord Milborne will help Papa.  Otherwise, dearest we are in a terrible fix.”
    An hour passed before Yolanda saw that her father was coming back to them.
    By the way he walked and the smile on his face she knew that all was well.
    He came to where they were sitting and bent down to kiss her mother