lucky; never have done. The girl’s a wonder … pretty, sweet-natured …’ He paused as if searching for a word.
‘Rich?’ suggested Clinton sharply. ‘As a matter of fact I’m perfecting a special form of words. I, mortgaged acres and distant expectations, take thee, immediate prospects and money in the funds, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold for dinners, balls and soirées, to bore and to tolerate till death us do part.’
Esmond frowned and said quietly:
‘Do you suggest that the lady’s fortune is a disadvantage?’
‘I suggest,’ said Clinton, getting up, ‘that you should help me avoid this marriage you find so entertaining.’
‘Entertaining?’ Esmond looked thoughtful. ‘I don’t think that’s quite right. I’ve never been very entertained by your problems.’ Though his tone was inoffensive, even mild, Clinton was chilled by it. Esmond brought his hands together in a silent clap. ‘Well, little brother, how do I help you?’
Forcing himself to be calm, Clinton gazed out into the street where a brougham was waiting, the poor horse’s ears back in the downpour. He turned.
‘You make loans, Esmond.’
‘Indeed I do … by the purchase of bills of exchange.’
‘There are other forms of security. I have certain expectations. ’
‘You mean Uncle Richard? That dreadful old man.’
‘I don’t like him myself; but I’m still his heir, and his fortune brings in fifteen thousand a year.’
The tight stretched smile on Esmond’s face seemed suddenly to snap.
‘It’s out of the question.’
‘You don’t even know what I’m proposing,’ objected Clinton.
‘Don’t I?’ said Esmond, with a harsh laugh. ‘You’re asking me for so many thousands now, and in return you’ll sign over Uncle Richard’s fortune.’ He let his hands fall heavily on the gilded arms of his chair. ‘For a start, bill brokers don’t keep large reserves like a bank, and frankly even if I did, I’d still say no.’
‘Because I might die first?’ asked Clinton, doing his best to make light of his brother’s reaction. ‘For God’s sake, he’s in his seventies. Why not insure my life if you’re worried?’
‘I’m afraid insurance companies don’t give cover for every kind of risk.’
‘You mean he may change his will?’
‘Of course he could. No money lender would even consider the idea. So you came to me with it. I’m flattered you think me so philanthropic.’
‘You know the man. That’s why I’m asking you. He’d only change it if he married. Is it likely? You know it isn’t. He’s a worse misogynist than you.’
‘Appearances can be deceptive,’ said Esmond flushing deeply.
‘He’s dead on his feet. That money’s as good as in your hands, but rather than oblige me you’d see me in hell first.’
Esmond listened politely, as if unaware of Clinton’s anger. Then he looked at him sadly.
‘I don’t know why you have to think the worst of me. Listen, what would you say to me if I accepted your proposition, and a week later he died? Wouldn’t you accuse me of taking advantage of your present difficulties to rob you? That’s the real reason I won’t consider it.’
Clinton leaned against the window frame and watched the rain. He heard Esmond say almost sympathetically:
‘Even if I did finance you till you get the trust money, what would happen then? All the capital would go in repaying the debt. You’d be back where you started.’
‘That’s not true. There’s enough in the trust to pay you back andredeem the main mortgage on Markenfield. The lease ends about the same time. The next tenant would have to pay a proper rent.’
‘All right,’ replied Esmond soothingly. ‘Your debts mount by two thousand a year instead of three. You buy five years more and beggar yourself in the process. That’s what it amounts to.’
‘With Markenfield unencumbered I could raise enough for seven years.’
‘And what if your uncle didn’t die by then? You’d be
‘Rich?’ suggested Clinton sharply. ‘As a matter of fact I’m perfecting a special form of words. I, mortgaged acres and distant expectations, take thee, immediate prospects and money in the funds, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold for dinners, balls and soirées, to bore and to tolerate till death us do part.’
Esmond frowned and said quietly:
‘Do you suggest that the lady’s fortune is a disadvantage?’
‘I suggest,’ said Clinton, getting up, ‘that you should help me avoid this marriage you find so entertaining.’
‘Entertaining?’ Esmond looked thoughtful. ‘I don’t think that’s quite right. I’ve never been very entertained by your problems.’ Though his tone was inoffensive, even mild, Clinton was chilled by it. Esmond brought his hands together in a silent clap. ‘Well, little brother, how do I help you?’
Forcing himself to be calm, Clinton gazed out into the street where a brougham was waiting, the poor horse’s ears back in the downpour. He turned.
‘You make loans, Esmond.’
‘Indeed I do … by the purchase of bills of exchange.’
‘There are other forms of security. I have certain expectations. ’
‘You mean Uncle Richard? That dreadful old man.’
‘I don’t like him myself; but I’m still his heir, and his fortune brings in fifteen thousand a year.’
The tight stretched smile on Esmond’s face seemed suddenly to snap.
‘It’s out of the question.’
‘You don’t even know what I’m proposing,’ objected Clinton.
‘Don’t I?’ said Esmond, with a harsh laugh. ‘You’re asking me for so many thousands now, and in return you’ll sign over Uncle Richard’s fortune.’ He let his hands fall heavily on the gilded arms of his chair. ‘For a start, bill brokers don’t keep large reserves like a bank, and frankly even if I did, I’d still say no.’
‘Because I might die first?’ asked Clinton, doing his best to make light of his brother’s reaction. ‘For God’s sake, he’s in his seventies. Why not insure my life if you’re worried?’
‘I’m afraid insurance companies don’t give cover for every kind of risk.’
‘You mean he may change his will?’
‘Of course he could. No money lender would even consider the idea. So you came to me with it. I’m flattered you think me so philanthropic.’
‘You know the man. That’s why I’m asking you. He’d only change it if he married. Is it likely? You know it isn’t. He’s a worse misogynist than you.’
‘Appearances can be deceptive,’ said Esmond flushing deeply.
‘He’s dead on his feet. That money’s as good as in your hands, but rather than oblige me you’d see me in hell first.’
Esmond listened politely, as if unaware of Clinton’s anger. Then he looked at him sadly.
‘I don’t know why you have to think the worst of me. Listen, what would you say to me if I accepted your proposition, and a week later he died? Wouldn’t you accuse me of taking advantage of your present difficulties to rob you? That’s the real reason I won’t consider it.’
Clinton leaned against the window frame and watched the rain. He heard Esmond say almost sympathetically:
‘Even if I did finance you till you get the trust money, what would happen then? All the capital would go in repaying the debt. You’d be back where you started.’
‘That’s not true. There’s enough in the trust to pay you back andredeem the main mortgage on Markenfield. The lease ends about the same time. The next tenant would have to pay a proper rent.’
‘All right,’ replied Esmond soothingly. ‘Your debts mount by two thousand a year instead of three. You buy five years more and beggar yourself in the process. That’s what it amounts to.’
‘With Markenfield unencumbered I could raise enough for seven years.’
‘And what if your uncle didn’t die by then? You’d be
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