FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49  
50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   >>   >|  
His tenants he was prepared to look after--outside his own property he didn't care a snap of the fingers whether people lived or died. Mr. Wensome said it was perfectly awful to hear him talk, and he came away without a penny. Yet his property in this country alone is worth fifty thousand a year. "It is very surprising," Brooks said, thoughtfully. "The more surprising because I know of a kind action which he once did." "Sh! they're coming here!" she exclaimed. "That is the Marquis." The omnibus had pulled up outside. A tall footman threw open the door, and held an umbrella over the two ladies who had descended. The Marquis and two other men followed. They trooped into the little place, bringing with them a strange flavour of another world. The women wore wonderful furs, and one who had ermine around her neck wore a great bunch of Neapolitan violets, whose perfume seemed to fill the room. "This is a delightful idea," the taller one said, turning towards her host. "An eight-mile drive before tea sounded appalling. Where shall we sit, and may we have muffins?" "There is nothing about your youth, Lady Sybil, which I envy more than your digestion," he answered, motioning them towards a table. "To be able to eat muffins with plenty of butter would be unalloyed bliss. Nevertheless, you shall have them. No one has ever called me selfish. Let us have tea, and toast, and bread-and-butter and cakes, and a great many muffins, please, young lady," he ordered. "And will you send out some tea to my servants, please? It will save them from trying to obtain drinks from the hotel next door, and ensure us a safe drive home." "And don't forget to send out for that pack of cards, Arranmore," the elder lady said. "We are going to play bridge driving home with that wonderful little electric lamp of yours. "I will not forget," he promised. "We are to be partners, you know." He was on the point of sitting down when he saw Brooks at the next table. He held out his hand. "How do you do, Mr. Brooks?" he said. "I am glad to see that you are going to get your man in. "Thank you," Brooks answered, rising and waiting for his companion, who was buttoning her gloves. "I was afraid that your sympathies would be on the other side." "Dear me, no," the Marquis answered. "My enemies would tell you that I have neither sympathy nor politics, but I assure you that at heart I am a most devout Radical. I have a vote, too, and you may coun
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49  
50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Brooks

 

Marquis

 

answered

 

muffins

 

surprising

 

wonderful

 

butter

 
property
 

forget

 

obtain


servants
 

unalloyed

 

Nevertheless

 
plenty
 

motioning

 

ordered

 

called

 
selfish
 

enemies

 

sympathies


afraid

 

waiting

 

rising

 

companion

 
buttoning
 
gloves
 

Radical

 

devout

 

sympathy

 

politics


assure

 
bridge
 
driving
 

electric

 

Arranmore

 
ensure
 

partners

 

promised

 

sitting

 

drinks


thoughtfully

 

action

 
thousand
 

country

 

omnibus

 

pulled

 
exclaimed
 
coming
 
fingers
 
people