recently?”
“What puzzle is that?”
“Who will inherit Heartland when Miss Lindsay is gone.”
“I did ask a fellow about it, you know. And he said it sounded like my mother. Of course, if she’s gone, it would be a matter for the courts to decide.”
“I daresay. You know, your cousin is not in the ordinary way.”
“Jane? Lord, you don’t have to tell me! She cares nothing for the gentler arts. Do you know she can shoot, drive, hunt, fish, and even fence a little bit?”
“Is that so? A regular fellow, eh?”
“Just about. Of course, I doubt she could best you or me in any of those things, but she’s good, all the same.”
“Still, she does have her foibles, if Miss Cherry is to be believed.”
Roland stopped chewing and looked up inquiringly.
“I understand she is extremely superstitious. So much so that she won’t walk near a graveyard at night.”
“I suppose that could be true. That old nurse of hers was from Cornwall and filled Jane’s head with all sorts of nonsense. I think she’s batty—the nurse, I mean—and I told Jane she should turn her off when she outgrew her usefulness, but Jane wouldn’t hear of it. Just another example of how wrong it is to have a woman in charge of an estate like that.”
“Exactly! You know, I offered to buy Heartland from her?”
Havelock choked on his coffee, spilling some down the front of his brocade waistcoat. “Did she take your head off?”
“Oh, I spoke to her lawyer. She did write me though. Most unpleasant.”
Havelock snorted. “No doubt! She got a viper’s tongue.”
Momentarily diverted by a very different remembrance of that tongue, Drew fell silent. But after all, what he was going to propose was just a prank, just a little joke to get back at Miss Lindsay for her impudent letter.
With this in mind, he leaned closer to the distasteful Roland Havelock and pretended an interest in his guest’s conversation.
b
It was the next morning, and Drew had a dreadful headache. Probably from that wretched liquor he had consumed the night before while attempting to be an agreeable host, he thought miserably. But it was worth it. Everything had gone as planned.
He knew Roland Havelock was a dreadful card player and a reckless gambler. While Drew rarely indulged, he was generally quite lucky. And even if he hadn’t won, which he had, he was certain Havelock would lose, spreading his vouchers around the table. As luck would have it Drew now held most of those vouchers in his dressing gown. They would be sufficient to win Havelock’s cooperation in the little prank he intended to play.
“Mr. Havelock, my lord,” announced the valet.
Drew took another sip of the strong black coffee and tried to appear more sharp-witted than he felt.
“Your servant, Devlin,” groaned Havelock. Drew had thought his own appearance sadly rumpled, but compared to the unfortunate Roland Havelock, he was in excellent shape.
“Have a seat.” Drew produced a handful of crumpled vouchers from his pocket and spread them on the table. “I assume you’ve come to take care of these.”
“Well, I, uh…you see, there is some difficulty…”
Drew raised a brow and waited mercilessly.
“I’ve had some setbacks recently and must beg your indulgence for a short time.”
“How short?”
“A matter of two or three weeks, at most.”
“Let me understand this, Havelock. You played an entire evening, losing all the while, and had no way to redeem your vouchers?” Havelock nodded slowly. “Very bad form, old man.”
“I do apologize, my lord. I expected my run of bad luck to end.”
“That’s what all bad gamblers say. Still, there is a way.”
“Yes?”
“You could do a small favour for me, and I would be willing to forget these.”
Havelock watched Drew lift the pile of notes, letting them slip through his fingers. Havelock slipped a nervous finger inside his wilted collar and licked his fat lips.
“What is it?”
“A trifling matter. I have a
“What puzzle is that?”
“Who will inherit Heartland when Miss Lindsay is gone.”
“I did ask a fellow about it, you know. And he said it sounded like my mother. Of course, if she’s gone, it would be a matter for the courts to decide.”
“I daresay. You know, your cousin is not in the ordinary way.”
“Jane? Lord, you don’t have to tell me! She cares nothing for the gentler arts. Do you know she can shoot, drive, hunt, fish, and even fence a little bit?”
“Is that so? A regular fellow, eh?”
“Just about. Of course, I doubt she could best you or me in any of those things, but she’s good, all the same.”
“Still, she does have her foibles, if Miss Cherry is to be believed.”
Roland stopped chewing and looked up inquiringly.
“I understand she is extremely superstitious. So much so that she won’t walk near a graveyard at night.”
“I suppose that could be true. That old nurse of hers was from Cornwall and filled Jane’s head with all sorts of nonsense. I think she’s batty—the nurse, I mean—and I told Jane she should turn her off when she outgrew her usefulness, but Jane wouldn’t hear of it. Just another example of how wrong it is to have a woman in charge of an estate like that.”
“Exactly! You know, I offered to buy Heartland from her?”
Havelock choked on his coffee, spilling some down the front of his brocade waistcoat. “Did she take your head off?”
“Oh, I spoke to her lawyer. She did write me though. Most unpleasant.”
Havelock snorted. “No doubt! She got a viper’s tongue.”
Momentarily diverted by a very different remembrance of that tongue, Drew fell silent. But after all, what he was going to propose was just a prank, just a little joke to get back at Miss Lindsay for her impudent letter.
With this in mind, he leaned closer to the distasteful Roland Havelock and pretended an interest in his guest’s conversation.
b
It was the next morning, and Drew had a dreadful headache. Probably from that wretched liquor he had consumed the night before while attempting to be an agreeable host, he thought miserably. But it was worth it. Everything had gone as planned.
He knew Roland Havelock was a dreadful card player and a reckless gambler. While Drew rarely indulged, he was generally quite lucky. And even if he hadn’t won, which he had, he was certain Havelock would lose, spreading his vouchers around the table. As luck would have it Drew now held most of those vouchers in his dressing gown. They would be sufficient to win Havelock’s cooperation in the little prank he intended to play.
“Mr. Havelock, my lord,” announced the valet.
Drew took another sip of the strong black coffee and tried to appear more sharp-witted than he felt.
“Your servant, Devlin,” groaned Havelock. Drew had thought his own appearance sadly rumpled, but compared to the unfortunate Roland Havelock, he was in excellent shape.
“Have a seat.” Drew produced a handful of crumpled vouchers from his pocket and spread them on the table. “I assume you’ve come to take care of these.”
“Well, I, uh…you see, there is some difficulty…”
Drew raised a brow and waited mercilessly.
“I’ve had some setbacks recently and must beg your indulgence for a short time.”
“How short?”
“A matter of two or three weeks, at most.”
“Let me understand this, Havelock. You played an entire evening, losing all the while, and had no way to redeem your vouchers?” Havelock nodded slowly. “Very bad form, old man.”
“I do apologize, my lord. I expected my run of bad luck to end.”
“That’s what all bad gamblers say. Still, there is a way.”
“Yes?”
“You could do a small favour for me, and I would be willing to forget these.”
Havelock watched Drew lift the pile of notes, letting them slip through his fingers. Havelock slipped a nervous finger inside his wilted collar and licked his fat lips.
“What is it?”
“A trifling matter. I have a
Similar Books
