The Loving Cup Read Online Free PDF Page A

we've profitably expl ored the north set. You have money due from the last dividend.'
    'How much?'
    'Sixty pounds.'
    Stephen grunted again.
    it's more than a 50% return on your investment,'Jeremy said sharply.
    'Oh, aye. I don't complain. Far from it, me old lad. It will all help in this new project I have. I wish twas ten times as much!'
    ‘I am sure no one would object; but at least the mine is paying, and it has only been in operation fifteen months.' 'And Ben Carter?' Stephen said. 'What about him?'
    'He's back as underground captain, I suppose?' 'Yes.'
    'He would be, so soon as I was out of the way.' Stephen stopped. 'This is as far as I shall come, Jeremy.'
    Jeremy said: I should ask you in but Clowance is home, and it would not be fair to her just for me to turn up with you.'
    Stephen said: 'D'ye know, but for Ben Carter I'd be married to Clowance now. D ? ye realize that?' 'I suppose so.'
    'No suppose so about it. If he hadn't picked that quarrel ...'
    'Come, Stephen, you don't expect me to believe it was that way round.'
    'Well ... whichever way round it was, he was the one who came between us. Faults I have a-plenty, but harbouring old grievances I never thought was a failing of mine. All the same, I'll kill him one day. That's a promise.'
    'We'd lose a good underground captain,' Jeremy said, trying to lighten the tone.
    'On, yes. Oh, yes.' Stephen stirred the ground with his foot. 'You can joke. But let me ask you this. Suppose you'd ever been betrothed to marry your Cu by - or whatever she is called. Suppose the wedding day had been set. Suppose someone came between you and her. However the quarrel happened, supposing one man came between you. How would you feel about him?'
    Jeremy looked into his own life.
    'Well?' said Stephen, peering into his face.
    'Yes,' said Jeremy, not wanting to be drawn about his own affairs. 'But you've got to remember Ben Carter will never be your rival. He could never marry Clowance. Clowance is just fond of him. If you'd had any sense you'd never have flared up the way you did. I know it's easy to talk-'
    'Yes, it's easy to talk. But when you're in love you're easily jealous, and things come out. You say things... But, Holy Mary, I said but little! She took it all as if twas mortal hurt...'
    'We've talked of this too often,' said Jeremy wearily. 'Clowance has strong, deep loyalties. Anyway, the quarrel happened. As I've said to you before, it has always seemed to me—a sign of a deeper complaint. Things must have been going wrong between you before, though maybe you did not notice it. And she hasn't come round. I think you'd best forget her.'
    'Some chance.' 'Oh, I know.'
    The two young men stood silently for a few moments longer, each considering his own ill-treatment at the hands of fate.
    Stephen said: 'Well, I'd best be going.' 'I'll see you sometime.' is the - stuff where it was?' 'Yes.'
    'We can meet at the Gatehouse, then. Tomorrow about noon?'
    ‘I can't. I'm to go with my family to St Day Show Fair. I have not been very sociable of late, and I especially promised my mother I should go.'
    Stephen thought this out. 'Very well. So be it. Perhaps ‘ tis better this way. I'll meet you at the end of the month. Saturday week at noon at the Gatehouse, eh?'
    'Agreed.'
    'By then I shall know for certain whether me present idea for — for a new type of investment will look promising enough to follow. Maybe I shall interest you.'
    'Maybe.'
    Stephen Carrington said impatiently: 'You cannot keep your share of the stuff lying there for ever.' 'Why not?'
    'All the risks we took: were they for nothing?'
    Jeremy smiled into the dark. 'On the whole I believe for nothing worth while, Stephen. But I admit it is a personal view come to after the event. Do not let it depress you.'

Chapter Three
    I
     
    Both Sir George and Lady Harriet Warleggan were home when the young Poldarks called on the Saturday forenoon.
    It was a disagreeable day. Seeing the pellucid sunset of last night and the clear