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Read Ebook: And Five Were Foolish by Yates Dornford
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Ebook has 3191 lines and 95981 words, and 64 pages
PAGE SARAH o o o o o 11 MADELEINE o o o o 41 KATHARINE o o o o 65 SPRING o o o o o 99 ELIZABETH o o o o 129 JO o o o o o o 155 ATHALIA o o o o o 183 ANN o o o o o 211 ELEANOR o o o o o 253 SUSAN o o o o o 281
SARAH
SARAH
Sarah Vulliamy stared at her pink finger-tips.
"But," she protested, "I wanted to marry George Fulke."
"I can't help that," said Pardoner gloomily, filling her glass with champagne. "I didn't make the rotten Will."
"Well, you needn't be so ungallant about it," retorted Sarah. "And it's no use giving me any more champagne, because I shan't drink it. Filthy stuff."
Her companion raised his eyes to heaven.
"I tell you," said Sarah, "I want to marry George Fulke."
"I'm not surprised," said Pardoner. "George Fulke is a most desirable young man. I should think, as a husband, he'd feed right out of your hand. But there you are. You've refused him three times--on your own confession: and now it's too late."
"But I don't want to marry you," wailed Sarah.
Pardoner clasped his head in his hands.
"Thirty-nine," said Sarah, "to date."
"Well, do those thirty-nine include one from me?"
Sarah shook her fair head.
"I've often wondered why they didn't," she said.
Pardoner felt inclined to scream. Instead, he emptied his glass. Then he leaned forward.
"Shall I tell you?" he said.
"Oh, do."
"Because I'm--I'm already in love with somebody else."
"Oh, Virgil, how exciting. Who is it?"
Pardoner swallowed.
"It isn't exciting at all," he said aggrievedly. "It's very tragic. Here have I been waiting and waiting for old James Tantamount to pass to a well-earned rest, and now he's done it--and fairly cramped my style."
"But who is it, Virgil?"
"You wouldn't know her," protested Pardoner.
"Tell me her name."
"Townshend. June Townshend. One of the Lincolnshire lot."
Sarah knitted her brows.
"I told you you hadn't," said Pardoner. "But that's neither here nor there. There's my skeleton or cross, or whatever you like to dress it in. You see, my lady, we're both in the same sad boat. You want George, and I want June. And we can't have 'em."
Sarah stretched out her hand.
"Let me look at the Will," she said.
Pardoner produced and handed her a paper.
Sarah read the words thoughtfully.
"It doesn't say how much, does it?"
"Wills don't," said Virgil. "That's where the lawyers come in. Forsyth tells me that, when everything's paid, the money alone will be over six hundred thousand."
"It's a shame," cried Sarah. "A beastly shame. They say the Law's just, but it isn't. Men always get the best. Here I get three hundred thousand and lose my freedom. You get your share and me into the bargain. And what about poor George? I shan't know how to tell him."
As soon as Pardoner could speak--
"What about June?" he demanded. "She'll--she'll never forgive me."
"Oh, blow June," said Sarah. "Besides, it's not settled yet, and I'm not at all sure I'm going to do it. Money isn't everything."
"That," said Virgil, "depends upon the amount. Besides, I daresay after a bit we shall--we shall be--er--quite happy."
"Ugh," shuddered Sarah. "We shan't. We shall be miserable. No," she added suddenly. "It's a great temptation, but we'd better not."
She handed the paper back.
"'Better not'?" cried Pardoner. "What d'you mean--'better not'?"
"Better not marry," said Sarah. "It'ld be selling ourselves."
Virgil took a deep breath.
"My dear child, you don't know what you're saying. You can't go and throw away three hundred thousand pounds. Besides, what about my share? If you chuck up yours, you chuck up mine too."
"That," said Sarah deliberately, "does not weigh with me. I came to dinner to-night to decide whether I could possibly do it. And now I know I can't."
"What about June?" said Sarah.
"She's got nothing in writing," said Virgil shortly. "Listen. If either of us had been engaged, it would have complicated everything, especially for me. The damages, for instance, would have been painfully easy to assess. So we've much to be thankful for. Of course, it would have been nicer if we'd been left the money unconditionally, but there you are. We might be worse off. Supposing I had false teeth or a long matted beard or something. . . . And I've always thought, Sarah, that you were very charming, and I shouldn't be surprised if, after a year or two, you got quite crazy about me."
Miss Vulliamy sighed.
"Congratulate you?"
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