A Civil Contract Read Online Free PDF Page B

with misgiving. By the time he had recovered from the shock of discovering that Adam’s expectations were not dependent either upon a sure thing at Newmarket, or some speculation calculated to shorten a respectable banker’s days, he had made another discovery, which he later imparted to his son.
    ‘The young man’s like his grandfather. Same quiet ways, same cool head on his shoulders: he’ll do!’
    From Charing Cross Adam took a hackney coach to Mount Street, and, with a heart beating uncomfortably fast, trod up the steps to the front door.
    He was conducted to Lord Oversley’s book-room; and his lordship, exclaiming: ‘Adam, my dear boy!’ got up from his chair, and came quickly to meet him, grasping his hand, and scanning his face with shrewd, kindly eyes. ‘Poor lad, you look hagged to death! No wonder, of course! But you are well again, aren’t you? I see you limp a trifle: does your leg pain you still?’
    ‘No, indeed, sir: I’m very well. As for looking hagged, that’s the fault of my black coat, perhaps.’
    Oversley nodded understandingly. He was a pleasant-faced man, rather more than fifty years of age, dressed fashionably but without extravagance, and distinguished by an easy affability. He pulled forward a chair for Adam. ‘I don’t mean to tell you how sorry I am: you must know how I feel upon this occasion! Your father was one of my oldest cronies, and though our ways fell apart we remained good friends. Now, I’m not going to stand on ceremony with you, Adam: how badly are things left?’
    ‘Very badly, sir,’ Adam replied. ‘I hope to emerge free of debt, and that, I’m afraid, is the best that can be said.’
    ‘I feared as much. I saw your father in Brooks’s, not a sennight before the accident –’ He broke off, and after a moment’s hesitation said: ‘I want to speak to you about that. It caused the deuce of a lot of talk: mere humbug to pretend it didn’t! It was bound to do so, and it was bound to bring his creditors down on you like a swarm of locusts.’ He cast another of his shrewd glances at Adam. ‘Ay, you’ve been having a devilish time of it. But that’s not what I want to say. I’ve thought about that accident a great deal. He didn’t mean it. He may have been all to pieces, but I’m as sure as I sit here that he wasn’t riding to break his neck. That’s what you’ve been thinking, isn’t it?’
    ‘I don’t know!’ Adam said. ‘I try not to think of it!’
    ‘Well, you’ll think of it now, my boy!’ said Oversley trenchantly. ‘If he had meant to put a period to his existence he’d have found a surer way to do it than that! Good God, no man knew better than Bardy Lynton that riding for a fall is no more likely to end in a broken neck than in a broken shoulder! No, no, he never meant it! I knew Bardy! He was too game to cry craven, and too much of a right one, for all his faults, to leave you to stand the roast!’ He paused, and laid his hand on Adam’s knee, gripping it slightly. ‘God knows you’ve cause enough, but don’t think too hardly of him! He came into his inheritance too young. When a lad of his cut is as well-breeched as he was, and has no check on him –’
    ‘Oh, no, no!’ Adam said quickly. ‘Good God, what right have I – ? I didn’t know how serious matters were, but I knew it wasn’t high water with him: he often said we should soon be under the hatches. I didn’t heed him – there always seemed to be enough money – and all I cared for was a pair of colours! If I had thought less of that, and more of Fontley –’
    ‘Now, that’s enough!’ Oversley interrupted. ‘You’re not a sapskull, so don’t sit there talking sickly balderdash to me! There was nothing you could have done, and if you’re thinking Bardy wanted you at home you’re out! Let alone that he was proud of you – lord, you should have seen him when you were mentioned in one of the dispatches! – he didn’t want you to discover how far he had