Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer Read Free Book Online Page A

considered not inexpert myself, you know.’
    They had reached Grosvenor Square by this time, where his lordship’s house was also situated. Outside it, Ormskirk halted, and said pensively: ‘By the way, my dear Ravenscar, did you know that Filey has acquired the prettiest pair of blood-chestnuts it has ever been my lot to clap eyes on?’
    ‘No,’ said Mr Ravenscar indifferently. ‘I supposed him to have bought a better pair than he set up against my greys six months ago.’
    ‘What admirable sang-froid you have!’ remarked his lordship. ‘I find it delightful, quite delightful! So you actually backed yourself to win without having seen the pair you were to be matched with!’
    ‘I know nothing of Filey’s horses,’ Ravenscar responded. ‘It was quite enough to have driven against him once, however, to know him for a damnably cow-handed driver.’
    His lordship laughed gently. ‘Almost you persuade me to bet on you, my dear Ravenscar! I recall that your father was a notable whip.’
    ‘He was, wasn’t he?’ said Mr Ravenscar. ‘If Filey’s pair are all you say, you will no doubt be offered very good odds.’ He raised his hat as he spoke, nodded a brief farewell, and passed on towards his own house, at the other end of the square.
    He was finishing his breakfast, several hours later, when Lord Mablethorpe was announced. Coffee, small-ale, the remains of a sirloin, and a ham still stood upon the table, and bore mute witness to the fact that Mr Ravenscar was a good trencherman. Lord Mablethorpe, who was looking a trifle heavy-eyed, grimaced at the array, and said: ‘How you can, Max-! And you ate supper at one o’clock!’
    Mr Ravenscar, who was dressed only in his shirt and breeches, with a barbaric-looking brocade dressing-gown over all, waved a hand towards a chair opposite to him. ‘Sit down and have some ale, or some coffee, or whatever it is you drink at this hour.’ He transferred his attention to his major-domo who was standing beside his chair. ‘Mrs Ravenscar’s room to be prepared, then, and you had better tell Mrs Dove to make the Blue Room ready for Miss Arabella. I believe she took, fancy to it when she was last here. And take the dustsheets of the chairs in the drawing-room! If there is anything else, you will probably know of it better than L’
    ‘Oh, are Aunt Olivia and Arabella coming to town?’ asked Adrian. ‘That’s famous! I haven’t seen Arabella for months. When do they arrive?’
    ‘Today, according to my latest information. Come and dine.’
    ‘I can’t tonight,’ Adrian said, his ready blush betraying him. ‘But tell Arabella I shall pay her a morning-call immediately!’
    Mr Ravenscar gave a grunt, nodded dismissal to his major domo, and poured himself out another tankard of ale. With this in his hand, he lay back in his chair, looking down the table at his cousin’s ingenuous countenance. ‘Well, if you won’t come to dine tonight, come to Vauxhall Gardens to morrow,’ he suggested. ‘I shall be escorting Arabella and Olivia there. There’s a ridotto, or some such foolery.’
    ‘Oh, thank you! Yes, indeed I should like it of all things That is, if—but I don’t suppose—’ He stopped, looking a little, self-conscious. ‘I am glad I have found you at home,’ he said. ‘I particularly wanted to see you!’
    ‘What is it?’ Ravenscar asked.
    ‘As a matter of fact, I came to ask your advice!’ replied Adrian, in a rush. ‘At least, no, not that exactly,—for my mind is quite made up! But the thing is that my mother depends a good deal upon your judgement; and you’ve always been devilish good to me, so I thought I would tell you how things stand.’
    There was nothing Mr Ravenscar wanted less than to hear his cousin explain his passion for Miss Grantham, but he said: ‘By all means! Are you coming to watch my race, by the way?’
    This question succeeded in diverting Lord Mablethorpe for the moment, and he replied, with his face lighting up: