"
"A peerage! Have you squared that?"
"I think so. There will be a General Election within the next three
months, and on such occasions a couple of hundred thousand in cool cash
come in useful to a Party that is short of ready money. I think I may
say that it is settled. She will be the Lady Aylward, or any other name
she may fancy, and one of the richest women in England. Now have I your
support?"
"Yes, my dear friend, why not, though Barbara does not want money, for
she has plenty of her own, in first-class securities that I could never
persuade her to vary, for she is shrewd in that way and steadily refuses
to sign anything. Also she will probably be my heiress--and, Aylward,"
here a sickly look of alarm spread itself over his face, "I don't know
how long I have to live. That infernal doctor examined my heart this
morning and told me that it was weak. Weak was his word, but from the
tone in which he said it, I believe that he meant more. Aylward, I
gather that I may die any day."
"Nonsense, Haswell, so may we all," he replied, with an affectation of
cheerfulness which failed to carry conviction.
Presently Mr. Haswell, who had hidden his face in his hand, looked up
with a sigh and said:
"Oh! yes, of course you have my support, for after all she is my only
relation and I should be glad to see her safely married.
Pages:
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105