Dangerous Inheritance by Dennis Wheatley Page A

some subtle means of breaking this frightful thing up.’
    She found the Duke in his room, but he did not prove very helpful. He, too, was of the opinion that such marriages rarely worked well; but, as he pointed out, Fleur having led her own life for several years it was impossible to job backwards and attempt to dictate to her. All he could suggest was that they should do their utmost to persuade her to agree to a long engagement.
    â€˜I mean to do that in any case,’ said Marie Lou. ‘If only we can get her back to England and keep her there for a few months, she may meet someone else and break it off with this awful man.’
    â€˜My dear, you must not think of him as an awful man,’ de Richleau said gently. ‘He is a very charming fellow, and you cannot blame him for having fallen in love with Fleur. But I was about to say that I think your chances of getting Fleur back to England are very slender. I doubt, too, if that would serve your purpose. Much better appear quite willing that she should go to Ceylon, provided she will agree to a long engagement. When she has spent several months there with Douglas as her constant companion their passion for one another may burn itself out. Again, it will give her a chance to see how differentthese people’s private way of life is from ours, and when she has she may decide that an Englishman would make a more satisfactory husband after all.’
    Marie Lou considered for a moment, then she said, ‘I suppose you’re right. But I won’t let her go alone.’
    â€˜If you went with her it would mean your being away from Cardinal’s Folly for most of the summer.’
    â€˜That can’t be helped. In young Jeffson we are lucky in having an excellent bailiff. He is perfectly capable of looking after the herd and the crops without being overseen by Richard.’
    â€˜You would both go, then?’
    â€˜Of course. Except during the war and at other times when it’s been imperative, Richard and I have never been separated for more than a few nights since we married. We couldn’t bear to be.’
    De Richleau nodded thoughtfully. ‘In that case, I shall reconsider the decision I took when I first heard about my strange inheritance. You were right, of course, about it being too great a risk for anyone of my age to go to Ceylon on his own. But it is a lovely island. I’d like to see it again, and heat is good for my old bones. If you and Richard are going, I know you would look after me; so I think I will come with you.’
    A sudden smile lit Marie Lou’s lovely heart-shaped face. ‘Oh, Greyeyes, we would love you to. We’d be terribly strict in seeing that you did not do too much, and take the greatest care of you.’
    Thus, after all these comings and goings, lunch on the terrace was by no means the usual gay and carefree meal.
    Fleur, knowing how strongly her parents must disapprove of her engagement, was belligerently on the defensive; while Marie Lou, who had never been good at hiding her feelings, found it difficult to be polite to Douglas. He, sensing her hostility, after one or two attempts to break it down fell almost silent in spite of Richard’s rather too obvious attempts to be pleasant to him. The old Duke alone seemed completely at his ease and kept the conversation going on trivialities.
    It was not until they were having their coffee that Richardtook the bull by the horns, and said, ‘Well, in view of what took place last night, hadn’t we better make some plans? I take it, Douglas, you’ve no wish to rush things, and would be agreeable to just being engaged to Fleur for the time being.’
    â€˜Certainly, sir,’ Rajapakse replied promptly. ‘The last thing I would wish is to hurry Fleur into a marriage of this kind before she has got to know my family and the sort of life we lead.’
    At that Fleur’s mouth dropped, for he had taken the wind out of her