A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer Read Free Book Online Page A

worth no more than twelve shillings an acre might be valued, five years from now perhaps, at four times that sum. I think we must be fifty years behind the times at Fontley.’
    Hardly heeding him, Oversley exclaimed: ‘Adam, this must not be! Yes, yes, I know! You’re saddled with short tenancies – no proper covenants – open fields – too much flax and mustard being grown – bad drainage – But these ills can be remedied!’
    ‘Not by me,’ Adam replied. ‘If I had twenty – fifteen – even ten thousand pounds at my disposal I think there is a great deal I could do – supposing that I were free of debt, which, unhappily, I am not.’
    Looking very much shocked, Oversley began to pace up and down the room. ‘I hadn’t thought – Good God, what can have possessed – Well, never mind that! Something must be done! Sell Fontley! And what then? Oh, yes, yes! You’ll rid yourself of debt, provide for your sisters, but what of yourself? Have you considered that, boy?’
    ‘I daresay I shan’t find myself quite destitute, sir. And if I do – why, I shan’t be the first officer to live on his pay! I haven’t sold out, you know. As soon as I’ve settled my affairs –’
    ‘Nonsense!’ interjected Oversley. ‘Don’t stand there talking as though selling your birthplace was no more to you than disposing of a horse whose action you don’t like!’ He resumed his pacing, his brow furrowed. After a few moments, he said over his shoulder: ‘Julia’s not the wife for you, you know. You don’t think it now, but you’ll live to be glad of this day’s work.’ Receiving no answer to this, he repeated: ‘Something must be done! I don’t scruple to tell you, Adam, that I think it your duty to save Fontley, whatever it may cost you to do it.’
    ‘If I knew how it might be done I don’t think I should count the cost,’ Adam said, a little wearily. ‘Unfortunately, I don’t know. Don’t tease yourself over my affairs, sir! I shall come about. I’ll take my leave of you now.’
    ‘Wait!’ said Oversley, emerging briefly from deep cogitations.
    Adam resigned himself. Silence reigned, while his lordship stood frowning at the carpet. After a long pause he looked up, and said: ‘I think I may be able to help you. Oh, don’t stiffen up! I’m not offering to frank you, my dear boy! The lord knows I would if I could, but it’s all I can do to keep myself above hatches. This curst war! Ay, and if Boney is beaten before the year’s out – did you see that Bordeaux has declared for the Bourbons? The latest on-dit is that there’s a deputation coming to invite Louis to go back to France. I have it on pretty good authority that they are expecting it, at Hartwell. I don’t know how it will answer, and in any event they don’t look for any sudden prosperity in the City, whatever be the outcome. Well, that’s for tomorrow, and not what I had in mind to say to you. It occurs to me –’ He paused, and shook his head. ‘No, better I shouldn’t disclose to you – I don’t suppose for a moment you’d like it, and I’m not even sure that – Still, it might be worth while to throw out a feeler!’ He looked undecidedly at Adam. ‘Not going back to Fontley immediately, are you? Where are you staying?’
    ‘At Fenton’s, sir. No, I’m not going home for some days yet: there’s a great deal of business to be done, and although Wimmering is very good – far more competent than I am, indeed! – things can’t be settled without me.’
    ‘Good!’ said Oversley. ‘Now, there’s only one thing I have to say to you at present, Adam! Don’t do anything rash until I’ve seen what I can do! I have a notion in my head, but it might well be that it won’t answer, so the least said to you now the better!’

Three
    When Adam had left Mount Street Lord Oversley suffered some qualms of conscience, fearing that he had raised hopes that he might presently be obliged to dash to earth. Had he but known it his