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Authors: Evelyn Richardson
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disaster, then outlined her plans for averting it. Her brother's face became increasingly grim as she spoke, and the knuckles of his hands gripping the chair became whiter and whiter until at last he sprang up and began to pace the room again. "That scoundrel!" he gasped. "I could wring his neck. Alexander has no right to play mice feet with the family's inheritance. He is the most selfish—" Tony broke off as he searched for words black enough to describe his older brother.
"Self-centered man alive. I know." His sister sighed. "And I suppose he always was, only we were such good playmates, he and I, that I didn't really notice it until recently."
"But, Alex, one hundred thousand pounds! How can you possibly win that? To win such a sum one has to wager a good deal and we don't have a feather to fly with. Besides," he broke off bitterly, "I should be raising the wind, not you, and I cannot lay my hands on that much."
"I know. Tony. You would if you could, but you cannot, for you don't gamble as well as I. Very few do, and I am counting on that. But you can do something that I am unable to do."
"What is that?" he broke in, anxious to do anything that would be of the least assistance. It was so unfair that Alex, who had devoted much of her life to raising all of them, 65
Lady Alex's Gamble
by Evelyn Richardson
should have to continue looking after them. She should now be enjoying an establishment and a family of her own.
"You can introduce me to someone who will vouch for me at White's."
"White's? Alex, you must be all about in the head!"
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66
Lady Alex's Gamble
by Evelyn Richardson
Chapter 7
"You must be all about in the head." These very same words were on the lips of Christopher, Lord Wrotham, as somewhat later that morning he sat in the cavernous drawing room of the Earl of Claverdon's townhouse in Grosvenor Square. The recipient of these sentiments, a diminutive lady of uncertain years who was swathed in a pale pink gauze morning dress more appropriate to a young miss in her first Season than to the mother of a grown man, was taken aback.
"How can you say such a thing about your own mother, Christopher? All about in the head! I am sure I am no such thing. Lord Grainger is devoted to me." The blue eyes opened wide and the lips, penciled into the shape of a perfect rosebud, pouted prettily.
"Mother," her son interjected, unable to suppress a sigh of pure exasperation, "the man is only a few years older than I. He cannot wish to become leg-shackled to a woman old enough to be his mother and someone who can give him no heirs. After all, think what his mother would say to such a match."
Dorothea, Dowager Countess of Claverdon sniffed tearfully, "You are too cruel, Christopher. If you could but see how he dances attendance on me you would agree. But you never go anywhere except to White's or Tattersall's even when you do come home from your horrid wars, so how could you possibly know?"
67
Lady Alex's Gamble
by Evelyn Richardson
"And what does Hugh have to say about all of this?" Lord Wrotham inquired, obviously exerting a good deal of restraint to remain calm.
"Oh, Hugh," the countess dabbed her eyes with a scrap of lace, "you know him, he never had the least sensibility." The countess dismissed Lord Wrotham's stepbrother with a disparaging wave of her hand. "I never even broached the subject with him. After all, how could one possibly discuss such a delicate topic with someone who wears as much brown as he does. Which"—she paused to gaze with pride at her handsome son—"I am glad to say you do not. And I must say you look excessively fine. I do wish Hugh would consult your tailor, his clothes are always so ill-fitting. Is it Weston?"
"Stultz," was the short reply. "But really. Mama." Lord Wrotham strove to return to the matter at hand only to be interrupted by his unrepentant parent.
"Christopher, you know I must have gaiety. I was not made to dress in black and sit in the
"Self-centered man alive. I know." His sister sighed. "And I suppose he always was, only we were such good playmates, he and I, that I didn't really notice it until recently."
"But, Alex, one hundred thousand pounds! How can you possibly win that? To win such a sum one has to wager a good deal and we don't have a feather to fly with. Besides," he broke off bitterly, "I should be raising the wind, not you, and I cannot lay my hands on that much."
"I know. Tony. You would if you could, but you cannot, for you don't gamble as well as I. Very few do, and I am counting on that. But you can do something that I am unable to do."
"What is that?" he broke in, anxious to do anything that would be of the least assistance. It was so unfair that Alex, who had devoted much of her life to raising all of them, 65
Lady Alex's Gamble
by Evelyn Richardson
should have to continue looking after them. She should now be enjoying an establishment and a family of her own.
"You can introduce me to someone who will vouch for me at White's."
"White's? Alex, you must be all about in the head!"
[Back to Table of Contents]
66
Lady Alex's Gamble
by Evelyn Richardson
Chapter 7
"You must be all about in the head." These very same words were on the lips of Christopher, Lord Wrotham, as somewhat later that morning he sat in the cavernous drawing room of the Earl of Claverdon's townhouse in Grosvenor Square. The recipient of these sentiments, a diminutive lady of uncertain years who was swathed in a pale pink gauze morning dress more appropriate to a young miss in her first Season than to the mother of a grown man, was taken aback.
"How can you say such a thing about your own mother, Christopher? All about in the head! I am sure I am no such thing. Lord Grainger is devoted to me." The blue eyes opened wide and the lips, penciled into the shape of a perfect rosebud, pouted prettily.
"Mother," her son interjected, unable to suppress a sigh of pure exasperation, "the man is only a few years older than I. He cannot wish to become leg-shackled to a woman old enough to be his mother and someone who can give him no heirs. After all, think what his mother would say to such a match."
Dorothea, Dowager Countess of Claverdon sniffed tearfully, "You are too cruel, Christopher. If you could but see how he dances attendance on me you would agree. But you never go anywhere except to White's or Tattersall's even when you do come home from your horrid wars, so how could you possibly know?"
67
Lady Alex's Gamble
by Evelyn Richardson
"And what does Hugh have to say about all of this?" Lord Wrotham inquired, obviously exerting a good deal of restraint to remain calm.
"Oh, Hugh," the countess dabbed her eyes with a scrap of lace, "you know him, he never had the least sensibility." The countess dismissed Lord Wrotham's stepbrother with a disparaging wave of her hand. "I never even broached the subject with him. After all, how could one possibly discuss such a delicate topic with someone who wears as much brown as he does. Which"—she paused to gaze with pride at her handsome son—"I am glad to say you do not. And I must say you look excessively fine. I do wish Hugh would consult your tailor, his clothes are always so ill-fitting. Is it Weston?"
"Stultz," was the short reply. "But really. Mama." Lord Wrotham strove to return to the matter at hand only to be interrupted by his unrepentant parent.
"Christopher, you know I must have gaiety. I was not made to dress in black and sit in the
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