The Parliament House Read Online Free PDF Page B

civil liberty.'
        Christopher laughed. 'Someone has been eavesdropping, I see.'
        'What else can I do when the place has been invaded like that?' 'How many people attend these meetings?'
        'Five or six, as a rule.'
        'And your father is the acknowledged leader?'
        'The habit of command is a difficult thing to break. Father, likes to be in charge. Oh, I'm sure that they have worthy aims and pursue them with due sincerity,' she conceded, 'but it makes for some dull evenings from my point of view. I foolishly assumed that you had designed a London home for us.'
        'That's precisely what I did do.'
        'No, Christopher. This is merely another Parliament House.'
        'Then we'll have to devise more ways to get you out of it.'
        'I'd be so grateful.'
        'I hadn't realised that it was matters of government that had drawn your father back here so much. It crossed my mind that the city held some other attraction for him.'
        Susan bridled slightly. 'What can you mean?'
        'Nothing, nothing,' he said, seeing her reaction and regretting his comment. 'I was obviously mistaken.'
        'You were, I assure you. Father is eager for political advancement. He will not get that by languishing on his estate in Northamptonshire. Friends have to be seen, ideas discussed, plans agreed. There's never a day when he's not engaged in some aspect of parliamentary work.'
        'Is that where he is now, Susan?'
        'Of course,' she said with an unaccustomed edge to her voice. 'Father is dining with a close political ally.'
        
        
           'I thank the Lord that you have no interest whatsoever in affairs of state,' said Sir Julius Cheever, beaming at her. 'That would have been disastrous.'
        'Why?'
        'Because, dear lady, we would never have agreed.'
        'I cannot imagine our disagreeing about anything, Sir Julius,' she said, sweetly, 'for you are the most agreeable man I've ever met.'
        He chortled. 'Nobody has ever described me as agreeable before.'
        'Nobody else has ever divined your true nature.'
        Dorothy Kitson was a handsome woman in her early forties with the kind of sculptured features that only improved with age. Twice widowed, she had inherited considerable wealth on each occasion but it had made her neither extravagant nor overbearing. She had remained the quiet, intelligent, unassuming woman she had always been and, while she had had many suitors, none had been treated as serious contenders for her hand. That, at least, was the situation until Sir Julius had come into her life. He was so unlike anybody she had ever met before that she found him intriguing.
        They were dining together at his favourite establishment in Covent Garden, a place that combined excellent food with a degree of privacy not usually found elsewhere. Clearly enchanted with her, Sir Julius wanted Dorothy Kitson entirely to himself. Having started with oysters, they had a hash of rabbits and lamb before moving on to a chine of beef, all of it accompanied by a plentiful supply of wine. Since his guest ate and drank in moderation, Sir Julius reined in his own appetite as well.
        'I bless the man who organised the races at Newmarket that day,' he said, raising his glass. 'He made it possible for me to meet you.'
        'It was only by accident that I was present, Sir Julius. I had planned to spend the day in the city but my brother insisted that I go with him to Newmarket as he had a horse running there.'
        'Then my blessing on your brother as well.'
        'As it happened, his filly won the race.'
        'It was not the only winner that day,' he said, gallantly.
        'Thank you.'
        'Once I'd seen you, Dorothy, I lost all interest in horses.'
        She smiled. 'I'm not sure that I appreciate the way that you put that,' she said, touching his hand, 'but the thought is a kind one.'
        'I