Gamble With Hearts Read Online Free PDF Page B

pleased indeed to add his companion to her circle of acquaintances. The two young women were strongly drawn to each other. Both were characterised by a certain elegance of mind as much as of person, and before long Miss Wrexham had begged that her new friend would call her Charlotte and was privileged to call her Helen in return.
    ‘That makes me feel very comfortable,’ Charlotte confided. ‘I have no friends in London and to be called Miss Wrexham the whole time makes me feel such a stranger.’
    ‘I hope you will count me very much your friend,’ responded Helen with a warm smile.
    ‘I should be very happy.’
    ‘Then perhaps you would care to accompany me upon a little jaunt we are making to Richmond Park tomorrow. Just my brother here, my husband and one other couple. We are to drive in two barouches and will have luncheon there. Do come.’
    As Mrs Wrexham raised no objection to this unexceptionable excursion, Charlotte gladly assented and it was arranged that her friends would collect her at ten the following morning.
    The next day was bright and clear although cold enough for Charlotte to be grateful for the loan of her aunt's furs. The party arrived in Hill Street in excellent time, being no more than half an hour late. They were prevailed upon to enter the house in order to partake of chocolate and ratafia biscuits and, in the end, left for Richmond only a little more than an hour and a half later than intended.
    Charlotte had naturally heard much of this charming little town and was particularly delighted with the great park. Early in the year though it was, the crocus and the snowdrops had been encouraged by the unseasonable sunshine to appear and this circumstance, combined with the fine crisp weather, made the expedition an unqualified success.
    Upon closer acquaintance, Helen Carstairs seemed to Charlotte to be the epitome of the happy young matron. She was obviously devoted to her spouse, a quiet, gentlemanly man, and looked forward to a happy event in the autumn. Miss Wrexham could not suppress a pang of envy quickly smothered. However, she did not allow her enjoyment of the day to be spoiled, and so great was this that it was not until
three o'clock
that the barouches set out for the London road.
    It was not so many years in the past that travellers would have gone to any lengths to avoid being benighted upon this lonely stretch of road, but in modern times only the most timorous would have felt any qualms. Therefore, when upon approaching a clump of trees a group of horsemen suddenly appeared and ranged themselves across the highway, the occupants of the carriages were as much astonished as apprehensive. Unfortunately, none of the men of the party had thought it necessary to arm themselves and although their courage was unquestioned there seemed little they could do against six or seven armed ruffians.
    The carriages were quickly surrounded and the occupants adjured to step down and to hand over their valuables on pain of all kinds of horrors.
    It occurred to Charlotte, who was regarding one of the villains closest to her with a contemptuous eye, that he seemed to be experiencing some difficulty in suppressing his hilarity. Moreover, the horse he held so easily was a beautiful animal, highly bred and extremely expensive. Charlotte lifted her eyes from contemplation of the horse to discover that the rider was watching her, and behind his mask his eyes were dancing. No one was attending to them as she demanded quietly: ‘Who are you?’
    ‘A gentleman of the road, ma'am. At your service,’ he replied in a cultured voice, doffing his hat and bowing over the horse's withers with an exaggerated flourish.
    ‘I hope you will not be offended if I say that you do not look like a highwayman,’ returned Miss Wrexham with deceptive sweetness.
    ‘My dear, no one as lovely as you could possibly offend,’ he answered lightly and, bending swiftly, he planted a kiss upon her indignant mouth.
    ‘As I said, you