To Win the Lady Read Online Free PDF Page A

‘I’m sorry, Daniels. Get off to the physician and have
that cut seen to. Have the bill sent to me. You will be paid as if you had won,
which you would have done if the race had been fair.’
    ‘All’s fair in
love and horse-racing, don’t you know that?’ Lord Barbour said, with a
self-satisfied smile. ‘I’ll have your mount, if you please.’
    ‘You will not.
The wager is void and you must know that.’
    ‘I can only
suppose you have been soldiering so long, you have forgotten what a debt of
honour is.’
    Richard was
about to vouchsafe his opinion that his lordship did not know the meaning of
the word, when John tugged at his sleeve. ‘Don’t, I beg of you, provoke him.’
    ‘You expect me
to hand Victor over when he so flagrantly cheated?’
    ‘Yes,’ John
advised him. ‘You cannot prove the boy did it on purpose.’
    ‘We both saw
it.’
    ‘Who will
believe us? Two rakes, home from the wars, against a respected pillar of
society with a great deal of influence?’
    ‘You would do
well to listen to your friend, sir,’ Lord Barbour said. ‘He may not be the best
card-player in the world, but he speaks a great deal of sense.’
    ‘I will have
satisfaction.’
    Lord Barbour
smiled. ‘Name the day and the conditions. I will accommodate you.’
    ‘No,’ John
said, horrified. ‘My friend did not mean to duel with you.’
    ‘Did I not?’
Richard said through gritted teeth. ‘I am persuaded nothing would please me more
than to make him eat grass before breakfast.’
    ‘You can’t do
that,’ John insisted, pulling him to one side. ‘The contest would be so uneven
it would be denounced by the whole world. Look at him. He’s so fat and out of
condition you could hardly miss, either with pistol or rapier, and he’s nearly
old enough to be your father.’
    It was the
thought of his father that decided Richard. He had been in enough trouble
before he left home to wish to add to it now. Reluctantly he unsaddled the
horse, threw a blanket over it and handed the reins to his adversary. ‘Consider
he is on loan, for I shall have him back. I claim a return match.’
    ‘Any time,’ his
lordship said complacently. ‘Any time.’
    ‘Mind you treat
him well while he is in your care,’ Richard added. ‘For if I hear anything to
the contrary, blood will be spilled.’ He patted the horse’s neck and walked
swiftly away, carrying the saddle. Not for anything would he let anyone see how
down he was. The horse had been with him through many a battle; he was full of courage,
steadfast and loyal as any human comrade and Richard felt as though he had
betrayed him. He turned to John who had hurried after him. ‘If you are going to
start apologising again, you may save your breath.’
    John knew
better than to argue, though he felt every bit as blue-devilled as his friend.
‘No, I was going to suggest you ride behind me to the nearest tavern where we
can drown our sorrows in a bottle or two.’
    ‘That will do
for a start.’
    Two hours
later, after two bottles of the landlord’s best claret had been consumed,
Richard was still cold sober and the loss of his mount was still foremost in
his mind. ‘If that blackguard Barbour thinks he has done me over,’ he said, ‘he
will soon learn different. I mean to get Victor back.’
    ‘How?’
    ‘I don’t know
yet, but I will think of something. What will you do? It might be prudent to
take a repairing lease in the country until the fuss dies down.’
    ‘No. My mother
is lately come to town and I mean to stay with her. She may be persuaded to
keep the duns off my back. But as to Victor, if I can do anything...’
    ‘My mount is my
affair,’ Richard said brusquely. ‘I’ll call at Rowan Park on my way to
Dullingham House and see what Sir Henry has to offer. He served me well before;
Victor was one of his.’
    ‘You are going home?’
    ‘Yes, it has to
be faced.’
    ‘You can hardly
blame Lord Dullingham for being vexed,’ John said. ‘It ain’t done